


Open Book

by certe_cose



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, but its feitan so really what's new, i love pakunoda too much to kill her off so she's gonna survive, i'm not about to list the entire phantom troupe in the chara tags, it's a bit of a slow burn, mc swears a lot and is a Bad Bitch, now it's a story, originally a drabble set, pakunoda doesn't die, will have mature content down the road, you and feitan are basically family and he wants to kill you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:54:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 27,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25315618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/certe_cose/pseuds/certe_cose
Summary: Everybody has to make a way of living. Some are hunters, some are thieves, some are just regular civilians trying to enjoy their lives. You? You're an informant, and in York New City, a city that never sleeps, you're about to find out just how much of a commodity that really makes you.
Relationships: Kuroro Lucifer | Chrollo Lucifer/Reader
Comments: 23
Kudos: 274





	1. prelude

Today was one of those days where you just wanted to curl up, read a book, and escape the sentimental thoughts you detested. You had known it was going to be dreary when you woke up to gray clouds, rain pounding heavily through the streets of downtown York New City. Whether it was just natural or your own self-fulfilling prophecy, it did come true. Nonetheless, just because the day looked bleak, didn't mean that you could slack off.

Standing behind the counter and leaning against it in boredom as another hour went by without any visitors, your mind began to drift to the past that you hated so much. Usually, it was easy to push it aside, but recently, you had been feeling more sentimental. Wistful. Strange, considering your childhood was nothing to sneeze at, but the human brain was strange itself. Even if it certainly didn't have happy days to look back on, your brain liked to bring back these memories anyways.

You hated dwelling on the past, and yet here you were, stuck in your small antique shop, reminiscing about days that you could never bring back.

Closing your eyes, you let out a small sigh, trying to clear your brain for a moment. No use in standing here doing nothing. With the weather how it was, there was no way that you were going to be getting customers today. It'd be better to just close up and maybe read a good horror novel.

Turning around to grab the 'closed' sign, you heard bells jingle up front, signalling a customer and nearly startling you. Immediately, you turned around, your gaze scrutinizing and somewhat irritated that you had to get a customer right before closing.

"Can I help you today?"

Protected from the rain by a sleek umbrella, the teen who had walked in scanned the shop dismissively before closing the umbrella and leaning it against the door. He was in strange clothes you had never recognized before, a blue and gold two piece. That wasn't what caught your eyes, though.

It was his own eyes, gray and haunting.

Walking forward, the teen hummed. You doubted he was any older than 18, and you frowned. He wasn't here for antiques. His demeanor gave him away.

"I heard you are the person to go to for information."

You eyed him up and down, your lips thinning. It wasn't rare for people to come to you, considering you were probably York New City's best informant, but something about this teen made you weary. Cautious. You weren't sure what about him was making you skeptical, but there _was_ something.

It took you a moment to respond. ". . . I may be. What do you need, kid?"

His face remained stoic, although you noticed the muscle in his jaw twitch as you called him 'kid'.

"I need information on a particular group." He paused, and you took this time to cut him off, holding your hand up.

"Look, if this has anything to do with the mafia, I'm stopping you right here. I stay out of mafia aff--"

"It's the Phantom Troupe."

Immediately, you stopped talking, your face going still. Once again, your eyes swept him from head to toe. He was one hundred percent serious, and your frown deepened. You crossed your arms.

The Phantom Troupe... You weren't an idiot. Anybody who didn't live under a rock knew full well who the Phantom Troupe was, as well as the danger they posed. You did know a bit about them, but you weren't stupid enough to give that information away. It would be suicide, and you were not about that life. Besides, the last thing you needed was to get dragged into _anything_ involving that particular band of thieves.

Leaning against the wall behind you, you kept your face passive. "I only get information from people within the city," you said smoothly. "They're always scattered. I'm not about to travel across the globe in search of information that could easily get me killed."

Your blond customer was clearly not having it, his expression unchanging. "I have intel that they're in the city."

That caused you to stop, your eyebrows shooting up.

They were in York New City... That certainly spelled out bad news, and you sighed before giving him a wry smile. "I wish I could help," _not really_ , "but I want nothing to do with them. I'm sorry, but I can't help you."

Finally, some emotion - anger and frustration flickered across his face. Sadness, as well, although that was hidden more deep.

"I can stop them, if you have any information--!"

This time, it was you cutting him off. "No," you replied firmly. "Leave me out of this. I'm serious." He looked ready to argue more, but then drew back, taking a deep breath in what looked to be an attempt to calm himself down.

"I'm sorry."

He was back to being professional, and your gaze softened a bit. No doubt, he was after vengeance - you doubted somebody like him wanted to join the Troupe, but you were resolute in your decision. Shaking your head to show that you weren't offended or upset with his outburst at all, you relaxed.

"Don't apologize. I get people like you all the time." It was true. He wasn't the first, and certainly wouldn't be the last, to ask about the mysterious Phantom Troupe. "I can tell you that the original members hail from Meteor City, but that's it. I'd suggest you go before it rains any harder."

The rain was lightening up, but the blond got the memo, nodding once as thanks. You could practically see the cogs turning in his brain at the mention of Meteor City. Hopefully that would be enough to appease him. 

When he left, you slumped slightly, a rueful smile gracing your face. Talk about the past - even the mere thought of Meteor City brought up too many memories.

Making sure nobody else was going to enter the shop, you finally locked the front door, turning the sign to say 'closed' before turning the lights off and heading to the back. Leading upwards was a rickety staircase, and you climbed it with ease. The story above your little shop was small, but it served as your living space. A studio, of sorts, all one room save for the bathroom. It's not like you ever had visitors, anyways. You didn't necessarily trust anybody to ever allow them into your home.

And despite the minimalism of it, it _was_ your home. All of your furniture and belongings were mix-matched with no cohesive theme, and you didn't have a lot, but this place was _yours_ and nobody else's. You liked that.

Eyes scanning the room, another sigh left your mouth. You couldn't stop thinking about that strange kid from earlier - you regretted not getting any information on him, but the mention of the Phantom Troupe had shaken you more than you'd like to admit. Especially if what the kid said was true and that the Troupe _was_ in the city. If they were... That was definitely a problem you didn't want to deal with.

On auto-pilot, you went to the kitchenette to put some tea on the stove, your thoughts still inward. If the Phantom Troupe was in town, that meant something big was happening. Was it possible to avoid it? You already felt a headache coming on, and you didn't even know if this information was true. Despite not wanting to get involved, you were a curious person by nature. You wanted to look into this and try and see if it was just some baseless rumor.

The easiest way would to be to contact _him_ , but you were still absolutely pissed at him, and doubted he would answer. So that was off the table.

Snooping? That may be your only option, but York New City was gigantic. You'd have no clue where to start.

Taking the pot off the stove, you poured yourself a cup of black tea, unaware of the scowl that had crossed your face. You had a feeling the next week was going to be an absolute fucking nightmare.


	2. interesting customers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You happen to come across a bunch of interesting people today - but will they be friends, or foes?

With the rain cleared up and the skies cloudless and sunny, your store was busy. The mafia auction had brought in all sorts of newcomers in town, most of them small fry not worth your time. You should have been pleased at the business, at making money, but your mood was soured.

Last night, the auction had purportedly been robbed. It wasn't confirmed yet, but you knew full well who was behind the heist, confirming your suspicions and fears. The Phantom Troupe was in York New City. With this new information, and the constant whispers of your customers discussing the event, you couldn't help the agitation that set in your veins. Part of it was just the fact that the Troupe was here. The other part, annoyingly enough, was that that meant _he_ was here, and hadn't sought you out yet. You weren't sure if you should be relieved or upset, and this caused you to be snippy all day with everybody.

Hearing your name get called, your gaze flickered to the door, seeing a familiar face among all of your newer customers. You gave him a dry smile.

"Zepile. I haven't gotten any _specially made_ items for you, if that's what you're after," you said immediately, careful with your wording considering a majority of people didn't know about nen. Seeing he was accompanied by others, a rare sight within itself, you raised an eyebrow. ". . . Who are they?"

The man in front of you took note of your expression. "Man, you sure are in a bad mood today. What happened?"

With the rush hour dying down, leaving only a couple other customers save for Zepile and his entourage of three, you couldn't avoid the conversation. Don't get it wrong, you enjoyed talking to Zepile, but you _were_ in a bad mood today. Certainly not in a mood to socialize.

"It's nothing," you responded after a moment. "Anyways, if you're not here to buy, what are you doing?"

Zepile gestured to the two kids he had with him. Was he babysitting? You allowed yourself to take them in in more detail. One kid was looking around the shop with wide, brown eyes, his green hair standing straight up and his clothes offending your sensibilities. Next to him was the other kid, seeming more bored than anything, with fluffy white hair and upturned blue eyes. You sort of wanted to see how soft his hair was. The last newcomer was a taller man, probably around your age, in a business suit with small glasses. A peculiar bunch - where did Zepile pick these people up?

"We actually are here to sell stuff."

That was a first, and you raised an eyebrow, eyes focusing on the bags in the kids' hands. "You? _Sell_?"

The brunet laughed. "They need money for the auction, and so I decide to take them to the best antique shop around."

Your smile was wry. "I'm flattered," you said flatly. "What do you plan on buying at the auction?"

The white haired kid spoke up before anybody else, his eyes narrowed suspiciously on your figure. "It's none of your business." His tone was decidedly unfriendly, and you snorted, not offended.

"If it's none of my business, then you don't _get_ any of my business. Sell your shit elsewhere, kid."

The older man among them immediately whacked the kid, and the other kid apologized hastily. There was a genuine look in his eyes that made you stop for a moment and decide to hear them out.

"I'm trying to get _Greed Island_ ," he told you. You had heard of the game before, and you leaned against the counter, eyes turning upward in thought. That was certainly going to be a lot of jenny, especially since the copies were limited. Why did they want to get _Greed Island_ , though? You had met its creator - you weren't about to break it to the kids, but not only was the game a sham in a way, the guy who created it was one of the biggest assholes you had ever met.

Although thinking about him now, and looking at the earnest kid with the brown eyes... There was a strange air of familiarity around him, now that you thought about it.

Humming, you examined them. "I'll make you a deal," you decided. "Whatever you have, I'll give you double price." The kids' eyes grew as wide as saucers, but before they could pipe up, you continued. " _However_ , I want your information."

They seemed confused. The only one who had understood was Zepile, and he grinned, knowing that they had gotten a victory.

"Information? Like our names?" This came from the bespectacled man, and you hummed, pulling out a book out of seemingly nowhere. It was thick and old, the leather binding showing obvious signs of aging, the pages all gilded. There were no words on the cover, and it felt almost weightless in your hands. Holding it out, you gave a somewhat genuine smile.

"Put your hand on this."

The white haired kid and the taller man seemed skeptical, but the other kid was eager and put his hand on top of the book. Immediately, his eyes lit up in recognition.

"It's nen!"

So they knew nen, too. This only got more and more interesting. Withdrawing the book from him, you opened it up to the middle. At first, the tea-stained pages seemed blank, but slowly, writing started to appear on the page as if a ghost was writing the words. All four watched in interest - it was your handwriting, neat and concise, but words you had never written before. Once it was done, you scanned the page.

"Gon Freecss?" The brown-eyed kid - Gon - lit up, his eyes widening. You continued. "Hm, your birthday is May 5th, so you just turned 13, and you're an enhancer..." Including the basics was his blood type, and a little 'x' on a small map, showing his location. He seemed interested, peering at the page in surprise.

"How did you do that?"

You smiled a bit more, amused at the kid's reaction. "It's my nen ability," you explained. "Well, one of them. Your dad is Ging Freecss, isn't he?" At the mention of his dad, Gon lit up even more, if possible. He was a literal ray of sunshine, it seemed. "I've met him before. I have to say, I'm glad you're nothing like him, as he's sort of a piece of--"

Zepile cleared his throat, causing you to pause and realize you were about to shit talk the kid's dad in front of him. Whoops. Quickly trying to cover it up, you shook your head. "I'm assuming that's why you're searching for _Greed Island_ ," you hastily amended. "Although if you're searching for him... I do have his location."

You felt bad for tacking on surprise after surprise for the kid, and even his two friends looked startled. "Really?!"

"I have the location of anybody who I use my ability on. If you're in search of him..."

Gon looked like he was genuinely considering it, before he shook his head. "I have to find him myself!"

You commended him for the determination, even if both of his friends seemed a bit more dismayed at Gon's line of thinking. Wanting to get this show on the road, you looked back and forth between the glasses guy and the other kid.

"So who's next?"

"Why should we have to give you our information?" The snide remark came from the snarky kid, and you closed the book with a snap, gazing evenly at him.

"If you want double the jenny, you'll stop testing my patience before I kick you all out."

Glasses guy went up next after that, touching the book hastily. Opening the book again, revealing another blank page, his information slowly started to appear. Leorio Paladiknight, 20 years old and an emitter, although he hadn't genuinely learned real nen, yet. He wanted to be a doctor - how sweet.

Last was the other kid, who stared at the book for a moment before begrudgingly touching it, a scowl on his face the entire time. If Gon was sunshine, this kid was the exact opposite, the pessimist to Gon's optimism. Soon, you figured out why, raising both eyebrows at this own kid's information.

"Killua Zoldyck... No wonder why you were reluctant." You had met a couple of Zoldycks, specifically Illumi Zoldyck, Zeno Zoldyck, and Maha Zoldyck, but none of them allowed you to use your ability on them. Killua was the first Zoldyck to be put in your book, and he didn't seem pleased about it. Wanting to ease his and Leorio's obvious worries, you stood up straight. Closing the book, it vanished from sight, disappearing.

"I suppose it's only fair I introduce myself," you said, giving them your full name. "I'm a specialist, and that's my main _hatsu_ , _Informant's Guide: Novella_. I'm usually the one people come to for information on people." You kept it brief, not wanting to give away too much insight on your ability. "Anybody who touches my book gives me information such as their name, age, birthday, blood type, nen type, and other basic information, as well as their location. It's generally my fee for helping people out." There was no need for them to know anything else about your _hatsu_ , and that explanation seemed to appease them enough. Not wanting them to ask any other questions, you nodded towards the bag in their hands.

"So, Gon Freecss, what have you brought for me to buy?"

It turned out, Zepile had been helping the kids find items made by geniuses, people who used nen without knowing. Some were genuinely valuable, and true to your word, you gave them double the jenny. You weren't one to break your promises, even though it did hurt your cash drawer a bit in the end. Worth it, you supposed, to get information from three interesting individuals such as Leorio, Gon, and Killua. It soothed your irritation a bit, especially since you had accidentally let the blond from yesterday slip away without getting his own information.

As much as they interested you, though, you were glad they didn't stay for long. Your mood may have lifted a bit, but you still weren't particularly up for expending energy into socializing. Waving 'goodbye', you were relieved when they left, leaving you to deal with the tourists that milled around, listlessly looking without plans on truly buying anything.

_Gon, Leorio, and Killua... I'll have to thank Zepile later. They are certainly an interesting bunch, and I have a feeling that will not be the last I see of them._

The rest of the day had been mostly uneventful. You had one girl come in and buy about 200 jenny's worth of antique books, but other than that, no other customers really stood out to you. Not until the end of the day, when the sun had just started to set. You had about an hour until closing, and the shop had been empty when the bell rung, signalling a new customer. Immediately, you had been put on edge.

He was taller than you for sure, with black hair slicked back, and large gray eyes that had made you freeze for a moment. They reminded you of the calm before a storm, analyzing and unfeeling. Despite that feeling, though, they were gorgeous. You had to force yourself to look away so you didn't seem creepy at all. He seemed to read your thoughts, his lips barely quirking upwards. Thankfully, he said nothing, instead going off to the side.

He was confident and calm, but you didn't trust him. His presence put you on edge, and you watched him out of the corner of your eyes, pretending to keep yourself occupied. You only were distracted when yet another customer came in, dressed in all black and seeming tense. Great, you could sense _this_ guy's intentions from a mile away.

Sure enough, he pulled out a gun, pointing it at you and causing you to deadpan.

"Give me all of your money, or else I'll shoot both of you!"

He had picked a really bad day to threaten you, considering you were already irritated. Despite the threat, his black eyes seemed to avoid your own, sweat dripping down his face. A newbie at that. He was about to get a rude awakening.

Your other customer had shifted, slightly turning towards the man, and you noticed the symbol on the back of his trench coat. _The St. Peter's Cross..?_

Raising your hands up and feigning innocence, you slowly walked from around the counter, the gun trained on your figure.

"Stop right there!"

As if you'd listen. In a flash, you darted forward, grabbing his wrist hard enough to crack the bone as he howled in agony. You pulled him forward, using your other hand to grab the gun as you flung the guy over your shoulder. He impacted the ground harshly, and with the hand holding the gun you had swiftly disassembled it as if it was second nature to you, the bullets falling to the ground before you dropped the empty magazine. Your other customer watched in an almost detached manner, but you paid no attention to him.

"The next time you try this," you said casually, picking the groaning robber up by the collar of his shirt and dragging him to the door, "you won't be walking away with just a broken wrist. Do I make myself clear?"

He nodded frantically, and you kicked open the door before throwing him out into the street, ignoring the pained yelp that came from him as he roughly hit the cobblestone. Turning back, you locked eyes with the raven-haired man.

"Sorry about that. It's a common occurrence in downtown York New." His lips quirk upwards again, barely noticeable.

"You handled it well."

 _Yeah, and you just stood and watched, asshole._ Instead of saying that out loud, you gave him a tight smile. "Is there anything I can help you with, sir?"

His eyes scanned the store as you walked past him, making sure to brush his shoulder as you went back behind the counter. At the touch, you saw him give an amused smile, eyes locking with yours again.

"Hm... No, I got what I came here for."

You knew he hadn't stolen anything, so you weren't entirely sure what he was talking about as he strode out of the shop, stepping casually over the dismantled gun that was still on the floor. 

You didn't tear your eyes away until you couldn't see him through the shop windows anymore. So be it - you also had what _you_ wanted, and summoning your book, you watched the words appear in interest.

You had told the others earlier of your _hatsu_ ability, _Novella_ , but that wasn't all you had up your proverbial sleeves. A sub-class of _Novella_ was another _hatsu_ : _Open Book_. It gave you more basic information - a person's name, location, and age. Of course, you couldn't get any information the person themselves didn't know, but you were in luck that the man knew both his full name _and_ age.

"Chrollo Lucilfer, 26," you hummed, watching the small dot move, signalling that Chrollo was heading towards the outskirts of York New. How interesting - today seemed to prove fruitful for information and a plethora of interesting characters. You wished you could get more information from him, considering he seemed to be particularly interesting, but it was what it was. You could always seek him out and have him touch your book one way or another.

With the sky a darkening purple now, you decided it was good enough to close up your shop, making sure to clean up the gun. It was useless to you, who detested guns. You'd just have to dispose of it, and in an instant it was nothing more than crumpled metal in your hands, unable to hold up against your nen.

After the mess was cleaned and the door to your shop was locked, you had went back up to your loft, feeling somewhat tired after the day's events. Here was hoping that tomorrow would be easier going, you supposed, unaware of the plot that was brewing beneath York New City, one that would pull you right into the middle of everything


	3. sanguine troubles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have a talk with the boys. Somebody tries to steal from you.

With the strange influx of new customers, something you could only attribute to the mafia auction that was currently going on, you had decided to take the day off. Sure, you needed to make money, but you also needed groceries, and wanted to scour the street markets in hopes that you'll find something you can use for your own shop. The vendors down there all knew you by name - you showing up to search for items wasn't exactly anything new.

Making sure the door was locked behind you, you had started to walk leisurely, the sun beating down brightly today. It wasn't unbearable - paired with the cooled air signalling the start of autumn, it was a perfect September day. Looking at the small paper list in your hands, you mentally decided you would do groceries last and hit the vendors first. You were _not_ going to be lugging fruit around all day with the sun like this.

Neatly folding the paper into fourths and pocketing it, you easily made your way to the street vendors. Despite it being earlier in the morning, the streets were already bustling. Business men, in a rush on their way to meetings; families with screaming kids, complaining how it was too early; groups of younger adults, all unaware that a majority of the stalls were overpriced to prey on tourists like them. As per usual, you saw all the same types of people, nobody in particular standing out to you. A bummer. A part of you was really hoping you either ran into Chrollo, or got to see the blond from a couple days ago to get his information. Your morning shopping went by without a hitch, although it was quite uneventful. A couple of paper grocery bags on each arm, various produce and other foods stacked precariously in the bags, you carefully weaved through the crowds on your way home. Grocery shopping at the stalls down here had taken a couple of hours, and the noon rush was just starting to near it's peak as lunch time loomed near.

"The bounty is huge! If we can capture a couple, we'd have enough money to get _Greed Island_!"

Ah, that was a familiar voice. Stopping in your tracks, you peered in the direction of Gon's voice, seeing Gon, Leorio, and Killua walking down the sidewalk. They hadn't seemed to notice you yet, and you hummed, falling in step with them.

"What bounty?"

Your sudden appearance startled Leorio, and all three looked over at you in surprise.

"Oh, it's [Y/n]!"

You nodded in acknowledgement at Gon's astute observation, and repeated your question. The three exchanged looks, clearly debating on whether they could tell you.

"Not here," Leorio said, his face serious. "Can we talk about this at your shop?"

Curiosity peaked, you weren't about to turn them away. The four of you walked back, and you locked the door behind you and, after a moment of hesitation, led them upstairs to your studio. You weren't a fan of having people in your space, and clearly not used to guests, your studio apartment was a bit messy, but none of them commented on it. Gesturing to the small coffee table, you skittered on over to the kitchen, prepping a pot of tea for your impromptu visitors.

After a moment, you brought back four cups of white jasmine tea. After another moment, you pulled a package of cookies out of one of the grocery bags. Immediately, Gon and Killua began to snack.

"So what bounty?"

You weren't one for small talk, skipping straight to the point, and seeing as how both Gon and Killua's mouths were stuffed, Leorio was the one to fill you in on the situation.

"They put out bounties recently," he started, and you nodded, bringing the cup up to your lips to drink your tea. "All of the Phantom Troupe - each member is worth a couple billion jenny alone."

At the mention of the Troupe, the cup had slipped out of your hands, spilling hot tea onto your legs. A momentary lapse in composure, you grimaced and cursed in your native language underneath your breath, hastily setting the cup down. It _burned_. Your pain tolerance wasn't the best as it was, but burns were always the worst.

Aware of Killua's shrewd gaze, you chose to ignore it for the time being in favor of excusing yourself to go change clothes in the bathroom quickly. Your thighs were both irritated and red, but it wouldn't blister. You were just being a baby.

Coming back out in new clothes, you apologized.

"You know the Phantom Troupe."

This came from Killua, and you could feel the atmosphere of the room grow tense. Your expression went still, the only change being the thinning of your lips. He wasn't really wrong, but not quite right, either. You knew _of_ the Phantom Troupe. Having been raised in Meteor City, the Phantom Troupe were heroes. Legends. But did you _know_ the Phantom Troupe?

Well, you knew one member, considering you two had grown up together.

You weren't going to say that, though, especially if these two were after Troupe members. Instead, you lied with ease, your voice icy. "Almost everybody knows the Phantom Troupe, kid." Your words were delivered sardonically, but none of them were completely placated yet. You continued on. "However, I don't _know_ them, if that's what you're getting at, and I don't have any information on them. People ask about them all the time, but I refuse to involve myself in any of their business. It'd be suicidal."

The most effective way to lying was sprinkling the lie with a bit of truth, and that was exactly what you did when you spoke. It worked, at least for Gon and Leorio as the former slumped and looked disappointed. Killua was still skeptical, but you had a feeling that part of that was just his overall personality.

"Aw, man," Gon sighed, leaning his head back. "I was really hoping you'd have information on them, [Y/n]!"

Ruefully, you smiled. "Sorry, Gon. I can only give you advice - and that's to be careful." You let out a sigh of your own, your thoughts once again flashing towards the blond from before. You opted to say nothing about him, despite his constant reappearance in your mind. Already feeling socially exhausted for the day - the true woes of an introvert - you went to go take your grocery bags to the kitchen with the intent of taking care of them all.

All three seemed to get the hint that you were done with conversing today, and they stood up. "Thanks for the tea and help," Leorio said. 'Help'. You literally did nothing, honestly, but nodded nonetheless, not wanting to comment on it. You silently led them out, bidding them 'goodbye' before locking the door again. Going back upstairs, your mind was preoccupied as you started to put away your groceries. You had about enough time to have a quick lunch before you opened for the afternoon, although you honestly wanted to be lazy for the rest of the day.

You also sort of needed to make money, though.

With groceries taken care of, you made a sandwich to eat before finally dragging yourself downstairs, unlocking the door and flipping the sign to open before you began to move items around to make the displays seem better. As much as your store got traffic during the auction, people weren't genuinely interested in antiques that had little value. It was more of a tourist attraction. Few customers actually bought stuff, but money was money, and you still had rent to play on both the shop and your little studio apartment.

With your back turned to the door, you had been carefully sorting through a collection of antique books when the bell rang, signalling a customer.

"I'll be with you in a moment."

Making sure the books wouldn't fall, wanting to make sure that the book titles could be seen, the customer didn't say anything. For a moment, you thought that they had left, but right before you could turn around and check, a hand reached out right by your head to pull one of the books out carefully, making sure to not disturb the other books.

You hadn't sensed the person from behind, so the close movement and proximity had startled you as you turned around hastily. Face-to-face with you was Chrollo, the man from yesterday. Although, face-to-chest would be more accurate, considering the height he had on you. For a moment, you lost your composure, eyes widened as you looked up. His gray eyes were piercing into your own, and you saw how his lips quirked upwards, as if he wanted to smile but wasn't entirely sure how.

"I apologize." His voice was as smooth as ever, and he didn't draw back. "I didn't want to disturb you."

You felt like that wasn't quite the truth, but didn't comment on it. Usually, you'd have no qualms about pushing people away who got into your personal space, but you couldn't deny the fact that you were getting an inkling of a crush on him.

 _Snap out of it, [Y/n]_ , you scolded yourself inwardly. _You are a grown woman who doesn't have time for feelings like these. Besides, you're only attracted to him because he seems like a mystery to you._

Nonetheless, you found yourself averting your gaze, your jaw set nervously. "Next time you should give somebody warning. Not everybody likes their space invaded."

You refused to look back to see what his expression was as he, thankfully, backed up. "My apologies."

His voice made you melt, not that you would show it. When he had backed up enough, you went around to the counter, keeping your face stoic so you could keep up your stone-cold reputation. If people thought you were growing soft for somebody, nobody would treat you with the fear they should.

Clearing your throat, you attempted to fully regain your composure. "Is there anything I can help you with today, sir?" You couldn't say his name, considering he himself hadn't introduced himself, and you weren't stupid enough to make that slip-up. You were far too used to keeping secrets and an oblivious facade up. After all, that was the best way to get information; people tended to tell you more if you acted like you didn't understand anything, you were quick to find out.

Chrollo seemed more interested in the book, running a finger along down the spine before going to put it back. "I'm fine, thank you."

If it were anybody else, they would have missed it, but you were no stranger to thieves. As Chrollo put the book back, you saw him slip something else into his pocket in a flash. Even you, with your trained eyes, had almost missed it, and your gaze of disinterest turned into a glare of disdain. Pretty or not, _nobody_ got away with stealing from you.

He had started to walk out when you called out to him. "Hold it."

He didn't turn around, instead just glancing over at you from his shoulder as you walked around the counter. "You have something of mine. You either pay for it, or leave it here."

Giving you an actual smile this time, you could have sworn your heart stopped for a moment. This man was seriously too perfect looking to be real, and it honestly made you a bit angry that somebody this breathtaking could exist. Especially when that breathtaking person was trying to steal from you.

Chrollo's hand went into his coat pocket, drawing out a small rusted globe, about the size of a baseball, before tossing it to you. It was strange - the globe actually wasn't worth much. A lunch at the local cafe would cost more than the globe, and there wasn't anything special about it, so why would he try stealing this of all things? It was literally useless.

Catching the antique item deftly, you narrowed your eyes thoughtfully, regarding his figure. Was he stealing just to steal? Or...

Your eyebrows raised in surprise. "Were you... _Testing_ me?"

Your eyes met his again, his smile still there. His eyes seemed knowing - you didn't like it. Without responding, Chrollo had turned his head back straight, heading towards the door.

"I'll see you later."

And with those somewhat foreboding and ominous words, Chrollo Lucilfer had left your shop - this time, thankfully, empty handed, leaving you with a five jenny globe and more questions than answers.

What a truly enigmatic man.


	4. an informant's infamy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have an unwelcome visitor. You decide to satiate your curiosity.

"Hello, how can I help you -- no."

Your face was a deadpan as you looked over at the new customer, unenthused as to who it was. The man in question grinned coyly, spreading out his hands.

"Aw, is that any way to treat an old friend, [Y/n]?"

You snorted humorlessly. "I could never see you again, Hisoka, and it would _still_ be too soon."

Hisoka Morow, 29 years old, and a transmuter. If you had a physical list of people you hated, the top five slots would all be reserved to the annoying pain in the ass in front of you.

Clearly unbothered by your remark, Hisoka casually strolled in, topaz eyes running over everything. You were immediately on guard - whenever Hisoka was around, trouble always followed. You didn't trust him at all, and were already at a huge disadvantage. Your _hatsu_ was purely for information, not at all suited for combat. You had seen Hisoka's combative ability thrice before, and each time his opponents wound up mutilated and dead.

He had a penchant for seeking out strong opponents and discarding the weak - it honestly confused you why he bothered with you at all. Did he sense some hidden potential, or were you just really fun to annoy? You didn't know the answer. You weren't sure you _wanted_ to know the answer.

"I need some information."

You nearly dropped the pen you had been holding out of shock, a rare occurrence for you as you met his eyes. His face was serious, an expression that chilled you to the bone. It bothered you almost as much as the fact that _Hisoka Morow_ was coming to _you_ for information. A scenario you would have never thought possible.

Blinking a couple times, you gazed at the man as if he had grown a second head. " _You_.... Need information?"

Hisoka huffed, striding forward. "Is that so hard to believe, little informant?" You bristled at the nickname, and his eyes twinkled in amusement at your reaction. "I'm afraid I very well may need to find a _nen_ exorcist soon, but unfortunately do not know of any."

A _nen_ exorcist? A strange request, but not completely invalid. If Hisoka had a _nen_ curse placed on him, you would definitely leave him to die without a second of hesitation, but he seemed completely fine. No, this _nen_ exorcist was probably for somebody else, unfortunately. However, a _nen_ exorcist... They were increasingly rare, a trade very few even pursued, let alone excelled in. You had met one _nen_ exorcist long ago, and you had seen him die yourself.

You didn't like not having the information to help others, although the fact that it was Hisoka made you feel just a bit better.

"I don't know of any," you admitted, meeting his gaze. "Why, though?"

For a moment, he stared at you, and upon realizing you were telling the truth he sighed and pulled back, clearly disappointed. "I guess you'll never find out, little informant."

He lifted a hand in a disinterested wave, already heading out of the door without any further conversation. "Bye bye~."

That was a bit... Anti-climatic.

Once you couldn't feel his presence, you had slumped, feeling drained. You were always on edge around Hisoka, and every encounter with him left you drained. It didn't help that, not even two hours prior had you dealt with Chrollo, and before that, Gon and his little merry band. These encounters with familiar faces made your introvert self want to take a break from the entire world. The only thing that kept you from completely doing that was the reminder that, once again, you had bills to pay.

Being an adult truly sucked.

Thankfully, throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening, as customers came and went, nobody else that you knew had come into your shop. It was relieving - you would have lost your mind if you had to deal with anymore people. Dealing with nameless customers who you'd never see again was one thing. But with people you knew and were expected to have longer, more in-depth conversations with? Forget it.

Bidding a customer goodbye as he walked out with a dusty old GameBox, you allowed yourself to slump forward against the counter, using your arms to brace yourself as you hung your head. You were exhausted, and only had one more hour until you needed to close up shop. That hour, though, seemed to stretch on terribly. Despite the auction starting soon, people came in and out of your store until the very end, and you wound up having to shoo people out as you went to go lock the door, flipping the sign to a close.

The night may be young, but you wanted nothing more than to go to bed. Not even bothering to count the cash drawer, you had gone upstairs, kicking your shoes off and collapsing on your bed in the corner in a heap, sprawled messily. A nice long rest was just what you needed...

And what you apparently couldn't get.

You didn't know how long you had been lying on the firm mattress, tossing and turning, but your earlier sleepiness had faded away into an annoying restlessness. Your mind wouldn't stop racing about everything. The blond. Gon and Killua. Chrollo. Hisoka. Had it really been only two days since your first interesting customer? It felt like ages, and you glared up at the ceiling in irritation as if it was the problem for all of your troubles.

Apparently, sleep wasn't about to come so easily. After a moment of contemplation, you sat up, running your fingers through slightly tangled hair. Holding out your other hand you brought up your _hatsu_ with ease, summoning your book. First, you brought up Killua and Gon. Both seemed together on the outskirts of town, by _Hisoka_ of all people. A part of you felt concerned, but the stronger part of you insisted that this was none of your business.

Next, you brought up Leorio and Zepile, who were also together. Go figure - you weren't surprised that those two would hit it off. 

You pulled up a couple of others you often kept tabs on. The people you were most interested in were in other countries, and finally, you wound up on Chrollo's page. He was on the move, slowly but surely - right by the auction house.

Glancing over at the clock, you hummed. You probably weren't going to fall asleep any time soon anyways, so why not go and sate your own curiosity? As much as you hated anything dealing with the mafia, you were more interested in seeing what Chrollo was doing.

Rolling off the bed and onto your feet, you knew you'd have to dress the part. You weren't great with formalities, so there was a lack of black-tie clothes. Eventually, you found a black qipao dress, and deemed it good enough. It had been quite a long time since you had worn it, but thankfully it still fit like a glove, clinging tightly to your body in all of the right places.

The dress itself was completely black and floor length - usually, the style would be a problem, but the slits on the sides ran up to your thighs, helping with movement. You had black spandex under the dress to prevent any wardrobe mishaps. The trim of the dress and collar were a metallic gold, and the dress was sleeveless, the collar wrapping around like a halter - it would seem modest, if the qipao wasn't backless. Across the front of the dress was a golden dragon wrapping around ferociously, its red eyes glinting like two rubies. It could fetch a pretty penny if you sold it, not that you would ever - it was a gift from a precious friend from his home country. You'd never get rid of it.

Pairing the dress with black heels so sharp that they could double as weapons, and strapping a wicked-looking dagger to each thigh, you deemed yourself ready to go out. You looked elegant, almost ethereal if you didn't say so yourself.

Okay, maybe you were just being a bit vain.

Pleased with how well put-together you managed to look, you summoned your book, reconfirming Chrollo's location before you started to head out.

While the area you lived and worked in was shady, in the darker recesses of York New City where the occupants were no strangers to crime on a daily basis, the locals knew you well. Better yet, they knew not to _mess_ with you. In a city teeming with scum, it was a useful trait to have, and you walked with your head high down the sidewalk. It would make your trek to the auction houses and other mafia-owned buildings go without a hitch.

Every so often, while walking, you'd draw your book out to make sure he hadn't left your destination. The _click-clack_ of your heels on the pavement echoed throughout the quiet streets. Everybody was either outside or down at the auction - not many were brave or stupid enough to walk in this part of the city once the sun set.

As the tall, pristine buildings came into view, you swiftly made your book disappear. Instead, using your next _hatsu_ , you tapped the side of your temple, glasses slowly appearing.

Another facet of your _hatsu_. Years of being an informant had helped you figure out what was useful and possible with your _nen_ capabilities, creating the last third of your _hatsu_ ability as an informant. _Instant Sight_ : not the best for gathering information on people, but it had its uses. By using an enhanced version of _gyo_ over your eyes in the form of fashion lens, you could detect heat signatures over _nen_ presences. You could also pick out people in a crowd that you had used your ability on before - while you couldn't gain anything from a complete stranger, if you saw somebody who was already in a book, their information would come up in the bottom of your lens.

What you also liked about _Instant Sight_ was the zoom option. It wasn't limitless, that would be next to impossible, but you could zoom from a couple hundred meters away, treating your glasses as binoculars of a sort.

And honestly, as useless as it was... You had made it possible for them to change appearance. That part literally had no other use other than cosmetics, but you couldn't blend in if you wore an elegant dress paired with clunky, bright red glasses.

Both parts of _Open Book_ were best at gathering information on people; _Instant Sight_ , however, was best for gathering the layouts of buildings and coming up with infiltration plans.

Scanning over the crowd with your lens, you felt the edges of your lips tug upwards as a name seemed to float upwards in the air over the very person you were looking for. He was walking indoors with a shorter woman with blue hair, and you hummed. You needed to get past the checkpoint, and didn't have the proper identification to get through. A minor bump in the road.

Casually walking up to one of the guards at the checkpoint, you attempted to give your most charming smile. It honestly wasn't the best, you weren't a very charismatic individual, and it seemed to fall short anyways as the guard's face lit up in recognition.

"Hey, you're the informant woma-- gak!"

At his outburst, you had quickly brought your hand up, striking him in the neck and causing him to collapse and choke on his words. You caught him with ease, just as a car was passing by and effectively concealing him and you from the others. Talk about sheer luck - you hadn't eve thought about that.

Slipping through alongside the car, you made it in. You didn't even look back as you heard shouts of confusion about the guard. If you looked back, that would surely raise suspicion, and besides - you were on a bit of a time crunch.

Making it into the building, you used your glasses to read the heat signatures again, unable to hide the excited smile that was starting to morph onto your face.

Sleeplessness aside, you had a feeling this evening was going to be quite eventful.


	5. charisma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally figure out Chrollo's true motives.  
> Well, sort of.

Despite being dark outside, the inside of the building that Chrollo and his guest went into was bright, blindingly so. Since you had already gotten into the building, nobody checked for your identification, something you were grateful for as you started to climb the stairs. Chrollo would probably recognize you on sight. You weren't in an actual disguise, and he'd have to be an idiot if he couldn't recognize you with glasses on.

Of course, that's how most superheroes got away with stuff, it seemed. You never really understood that.

Keeping your _gyo_ up was an easy enough task. It didn't take a lot out of you anymore with how much you had honed in your _nen_ , and so tracking all of the heat signatures with your glasses was simple. It seemed Chrollo had gone up to the top floor - that was supposed to have a little restaurant, if you remembered correctly. Your lips quirked upwards in amusement. Was he on a date?

. . . No, you doubted it. Not only did the blue-haired teen look much too young, but you had a gut feeling that something a bit more sinister was going on.

You avoided trouble like the plague. You could handle yourself well, that wasn't the issue, but you weren't one for a lot of hustle and bustle. Ironic, considering you were possibly York New City's most competent informant and information gatherer, but true. When possible, you tried to stay out of trouble. It's why you didn't work with the mafia, and why you avoided the Phantom Troupe like the plague. However... Your curiosity seemed to deter this. You couldn't help it - even before you learned _nen_ , had developed your _hatsu_ , you had always been insanely curious. Maybe it was because you had grown up in a city where nobody knew anything about themselves, but since you could remember you had been obsessed with knowing as much as possible.

Warning flags were going off. Your intuition was sharp, and you had a feeling that, by following Chrollo and his teenage companion, you were probably getting yourself into something you didn't want to get into. You couldn't stop, though. Curiosity drove you - something about Chrollo Lucilfer had caught your attention, and you weren't going to just ignore it. You had to get to the bottom of this.

Entering the dining area, you made sure to stay inconspicuous. Thankfully, his back was to the entrance, he was too busy discussing something with the blue-haired teen, and you picked the seat closest to the exit. Asking for a menu, you looked at it but didn't actually _look_ at it, pretending to read the items and ordering a water. The entire time, you kept an eye on the two over by the window. At some point, the woman held out a piece of paper, and your eyes widened at the strange creature hovering over her. Immediately, you connected the dots.

T _hat must be the infamous fortune teller, Neon Nostrade. To think it was all her_ hatsu _... It shouldn't be that surprising._

Using _gyo_ on both your eyes and ears was a bit straining, but you managed to eavesdrop on them. Unfortunately, Chrollo didn't read his fortune out loud, but his reaction must have startled Neon as she got worried. Chrollo reassured her he was fine and mentioned a friend had passed recently, and the two got up. They started to walk back, and you lowered the menu for a moment to make eye contact with Chrollo. Silver eyes widened, albeit barely noticeable, and the hint of a smile played on his lips before his face went back to neutral. You allowed yourself to smile wryly in turn, giving the smallest of nods as they left the dining area.

Taking one last sip of your water, you counted to 15 before getting up and leaving yourself, making it seem casual. Of course, your outfit didn't help for blending in. You easily ignored the leers of the mafioso, holding your chin up high with an air of superiority that seemed to scream at everybody, ' _Don't even try, I'm out of your league_ '. 

You almost went downstairs, but something stopped you - you could see Chrollo's heat signature coming back up, and a bit behind him, was somebody following him. You paused outside the restaurant entrance in the hallway, keeping your face still. He wasn't the only one being followed. You cursed yourself for not noticing earlier, but you felt eyes on your back, and you held back the urge to scowl. Instead, you slowly began to walk.

There was no reason for somebody to be following _you_ \- unless, that is, Chrollo had done something and they thought you were an accomplice. How bothersome. Judging by the way Chrollo's heat signature was slowly ascending the building, you assumed he'd be heading towards the observation deck and decided it may be in your best interest to meet him there and lure out your stalker.

With calculated steps, you began to walk, and soon the people around thinned out, leaving you alone in a dim hallway. Knowing you were still being followed, you stopped, hand sliding to your thigh to get ready to take out one of your daggers if need be.

"Why are you following me?"

You didn't turn around, and didn't hear the footsteps. You could sense he was there, though, and turned around, noting how he stayed silent. It wasn't just some ordinary thug - this guy was an assassin, although definitely not one of the better ones. If it was a Zoldyck, you probably would have been none the wiser for a while longer.

You let out a long sigh, feeling yourself grow weary from lack of sleep. The man was dark-skinned and tall, with purple hair and a wooden mask covering his face. In his hands was a type of scythe, although you didn't recognize what it was specifically. An elongated sickle, maybe?

Hand still on your thigh, you raised an eyebrow, making your _hatsu_ glasses finally disappear, making it seem as if they sunk back into your face. 

"Well?" you asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you going to attack?"

He darted forward, and in the blink of an eye you drew your dagger out and threw it forward with scarily accurate precision, piercing the blade straight through the wooden mask and into his right eye, killing him without him even hurting you. 

You withdrew the dagger after the assassin's corpse fell to the ground with a heavy _thud_. Bending down, you wiped your dagger on the leapord loincloth he wore, making sure it was clean before you strapped it back to your thigh. After a moment of contemplation, you activated _Open Book_ , touching his arm before opening the journal. You probably should have made him touch it, but it was too late to dwell on that now, you supposed.

You were correct in assuming he was a small shot assassin, and felt somewhat disappointed. And baffled. You had never been targeted so blatantly before, meaning you may have gotten yourself into more trouble than it was worth, following Chrollo and all. No backing out, though. Curiosity had a stronghold on you, and you wanted to get to the bottom of this.

Picking the corpse up by the back of his shirt, you dragged him down the hall and towards the observation deck, a displeased frown marring your features. It wasn't that far of a walk, and you didn't bother to conceal yourself as you entered the open room, just in time for the windows to start descending.

The fish had startled you as they dissolved into air - some sort of _nen_ ability, although you must have missed it in action. Ignoring the assassin pinned against the wall whose body - well, what remained of it - slid down the wall, you tossed the guy you had killed towards Chrollo's feet. In a suit and tie, he stood in the middle of the room, facing towards the open window and looking out towards the city. When he didn't face you, your frown only grew.

"Mind telling me why somebody tried to kill me?"

Finally, he looked back at you over his shoulder, silver eyes twinkling in amusement. "Later."

You bristled, but held your tongue, not immature enough to lash out. He looked like he was suppressing a smile, and his eyes didn't waver from your own. "After all, the show's about to begin."

Show? You had no clue what he was talking about as he turned back towards the window, raising his arms for a moment. Great. Underneath those gorgeous looks and clear muscle definition was a weirdo.

It was silent, only for a moment. Then, the first explosion happened and Chrollo's arms dropped, as if he was a conductor orchestrating a song of destruction. If he was aware of you drawing nearer, he didn't acknowledge it. You came to stand beside him, eyebrows furrowed as chaos reigned below, a cacophony of distant screams hitting your ears. It was as unnerving as it was heart-wrenching. It was a symphony of sorrow - a requiem for the fallen. You put together the pieces of the puzzle but stayed quiet, mulling over it all.

After what felt like ages, Chrollo had finished, and you could have sworn you saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes. They were gone as soon as they had appeared, to the point where you could have believed you had imagined it.

"Chrollo Lucilfer," you hummed, grabbing his attention. "You're in the Phantom Troupe. The leader, I assume?"

He looked back at you with an amused smile, and while you kept your face neutral, you could feel your heart skip just a tiny bit. It was unfair for a criminal, a notorious murderer and thief, to look so breathtaking. Weren't criminals supposed to be hideous or something?

He repeated your full name with just as much certainty. "The best informant of York New City. Our reputations precede us, it seems."

You were unhappy with the outcome of this situation - you had been actively avoiding interaction with the Troupe, and yet had happened to approach the _leader_ of all people. Running a hand through your hair, you closed your eyes for a moment, gathering your thoughts. You were aware that his gaze was still lingering on you, waiting for a response.

"What a mess," you finally muttered, scowling. "Now that I know you're a part of the Troupe, I'm not interested anymore."

"Oh?"

You gave him a wry smile and a shrug. "I want nothing to do with you all, so I'll leave you be. I'm not stupid enough to attempt to go against you all."

Turning around, you had managed to take one step before he made a move. You sensed him and reacted instantly as his hand wrapped around your wrist. With your free hand, you had grabbed one of the daggers strapped to your thigh, whirling around and aiming it straight at his neck; but he was quicker. His other hand grabbed your other wrist, and you kicked your leg out in an attempt to destabilize him only for it to backfire. Not used to fighting in taller heels, you fell backwards, the other heel breaking off with a jarring _snap_ as your back collided with the floor, Chrollo hovering over you and pinning your wrists down. His grip tightened, enough for you to release the dagger and allow it to clamor to the ground as well.

The altercation didn't take more than a few seconds, yet you felt out of breath as you glowered up at him, keeping a steely gaze. You weren't afraid of him - in the end, he was just another asshole to you.

Acutely aware of how close you two were, his body nearly pressed up against yours, your cool facade faltered, and you felt your face start to heat-up in a manner reminiscent to a crushing school girl.

"Get off." Your voice was hardened, and you thanked the stars above it didn't waver. Despite the even tone, Chrollo's smile widened, and he didn't make a move.

"Will you listen to me, or will you try to leave?"

Neither. You honestly would rather drive your knife into his neck for putting you in such an embarrassing and compromising position, but you weren't foolish enough to believe you'd be able to carry _that_ plan out, especially if he was expecting you to do exactly that. Meeting his gaze defiantly, you repeated your demand with more conviction.

After a moment, he relented, although he took his sweet time in standing up, much to your annoyance. Sitting up, and rubbing the back of your head where it had collided with the floor, you looked down at your broken heel with a forlorn expression. Great. Those had been pretty nice, and there was no way to repair that. Kicking off the other heel, you figured you'd just deal with the consequences of walking around barefoot. That should be the least of your concerns, anyways.

A hand was placed gently in front of you, courtesy of Chrollo. You stood up without grabbing it, glaring at him all the while. "You wanted me to listen? Then talk."

Chrollo's smile never wavered, thoughtful eyes piercing straight through you.

"I need you."


	6. lion's den

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You see an old friend, and are brought to the Phantom Troupe's hideout. Things are not in your favor.

"Are you dead?"

Peering into the dilapidated building, you didn't sound all too concerned if your new ( _forced_ ) companion was dead or alive. After Chrollo had boldly exclaimed that he had needed you, you had quickly became flustered and demanded an explanation.

As it had turned out, he hadn't needed _you_ , per se, so much as your abilities. He needed information - information you weren't sure you could provide yet, considering he had remained tight-lipped about any specifics. Instead, he had led you out of the building, only to be confronted by Zeno Zoldyck and another whom you could only assume was Silva Zoldyck. At the sight of them approaching, you had quickly veered off, telling Chrollo you'd wait for him. You had locked eyes with Zeno for a moment - if he recognized you, he didn't show it.

You could hear the sounds of fighting inside, but resisted the urge to peek. That'd be suicide, and you remained true to your word. After a short amount of time - much shorter than you had been expecting, honestly - the door had opened, and Zeno and Silva had walked out, both completely disregarding you. For a moment, you thought the strange feeling in your chest was relief, but wrote it off. Not relief, but you weren't sure what else it was as you peered in.

Unfortunately, Chrollo wasn't dead, meaning you'd still have to go with him to see the rest of the Phantom Troupe. It wasn't ideal, but you had given your word so you wouldn't back out now. Instead, you walked further in, taking a moment to admire what was left of the interior before your eyes stopped on Chrollo. He looked a bit worse for wear, but all of the injuries were superficial. You sighed.

"And here I was hoping I'd be left off the hook."

Chrollo's smile turned dry as he approached and walked past, only stopping to wait for you to follow him again. "How sad," he feigned sadness, although it was easy to tell he wasn't really. "I thought I was beginning to grow on you."

Your gaze burned into his back as the two of you walked, eyes shrewd and thoughtful. No way the Zoldycks would just walk off on a job, unless... "You either hired for their employers to be killed, or you paid those two more money than their original boss. Correct?"

You couldn't see Chrollo's face, but could only imagine the smile on his face as he spoke. "I hired somebody to kill the Ten Dons, yes. With money off the table, there's no reason for them to continue."

You almost came to a complete stop. "The Ten Dons? Of the mafia?"

He looked back at you from over his shoulder, expression turning unreadable. "Is that a problem?"

For the first time tonight, you smiled widely, not believing the luck of it all. "Not at all. I hate those mafia bastards, so good riddance."

Turning back to the front before you could see his facial expression change, Chrollo continued to walk. You continued to follow.

It was chaos all around, but Chrollo wasn't bothered by it, walking through it all as if this was nothing. To him, it probably was, and you followed his lead, not paying the dead bodies of various mafioso a second thought. You had to be careful where you stepped - without shoes, the last thing you needed was to step on broken glass or any other sharp object. Neither of you were in a hurry, it seemed, so it was easy to watch your step.

Looking down at the ground, though, came at a cost. You hadn't sensed Chrollo stop right away, and unable to react in time you had bumped into his back, stumbling backwards immediately. In your momentary clumsiness, you had stepped backwards onto a bent piece of metal, the object piercing into the heel of your foot as a slew of obscenities left your mouth in retaliation. Chrollo had turned around, watching the scene in clear amusement. Shooting the Troupe leader a venomous glare, you managed to stumble back onto a blood-coated bench, ignoring the liquid in favor of yanking the piece of metal out of your heel. It wasn't super deep - certainly nothing for you to worry about too much. It still hurt, though, and without anything to protect it from the pavement, walking was going to be terrible.

Kneeling in front of you, Chrollo took your foot without warning to inspect the wound, and your leg shot out. If it weren't for his quick reaction time in catching your ankle, you would have kicked his teeth in.

"We have bandages at the hideout," he reassured you, and you suppressed the insults you wanted to fling at him. You were in a foul mood - you were deprived of sleep, practically being held hostage to go to the Phantom Troupe's hideout, had no shoes, an injured foot, and Chrollo's constant goading to deal with. Instead of calling him all sorts of names, you held your tongue, sticking with your glower for now.

Sensing your malcontent, Chrollo's gaze seemed to soften up into a more unreadable expression. "I'll carry you."

"You'll _what_."

Your voice came out flat and unamused, and Chrollo's smile came back. "You can't walk, so I'll carry you." Without further warning he had scooped you up. The blood on the back of your dress didn't do much for Chrollo's already-ruined outfit as he held you bridal style. You resisted the urge to shove yourself away from him, not wanting to collide with the pavement below.

"Can't you carry me on your back, at least?!" Your voice came out strained, a bit higher. More embarrassed. He looked down, expression amused and mischievous as his eyes swept your bunched up form.

"In that dress?"

Ah, right. You'd be revealing too much skin if you were to be carried on his back, but it didn't make you any more pleased about the situation. It was just one thing after another, it seemed.

With you in his arms in a way that infuriated as much as it flustered you, he had been able to pick up the pace to a much faster speed. You were tense, not wanting to relax in a murderer's arms. Being carried was a foreign feeling, one you weren't really fond of as it was turning out. It seemed their base was on the outskirts of the city, and the closer you got, the larger the pit in your stomach grew.

You were walking right into the lion's den. Well, you were being _carried_ right into the lion's den.

You weren't sure what was worse.

On the outskirts of York New City was the abandoned part of town. You knew the area well, and weren't surprised this was where Chrollo and the Troupe had decided to make their base.

"Ah, Chrollo..."

You weren't one to hesitate or stutter, usually. Being an informant, and from Meteor City to boot, had made you a very blunt and sometimes rude person. Not one to mince words, not one to sugar coat stuff. Lately, with no thanks to Chrollo, you hadn't been adhering to your normal speech patterns. The man seemed to know just what to say and do to completely derail you, and you _hated_ it. You were usually the one reading people, not the other way around!

Humming, Chrollo didn't glance down, and you continued. "Before we get to your base, I should probably let you know that I actually know one of the Phantom Troupe members."

He didn't stop, and his facial expression barely changed as he spoke. "I'm aware."

What a nonchalant reply. Gritting your teeth, and trying not to let the irritation show on your face, you put on a strained smile. "Then you'd know we aren't on the best of terms right now."

He was coming to a stop in front of a particularly run down building. "You won't be hurt so long as you listen."

"Yes, because that's reassuring."

His lips finally quirked upwards, and you had to quickly avert your gaze to avoid from staring at his face. "Put me down."

"What if you step on something sharp again?"

You finally brought your gaze back to him, giving him an especially nasty look. He just raised an eyebrow, clearly not intimidated at all by your glare as he gently set you down. The moment your heel hit the rubble beneath your feet _hurt_. You wanted nothing more than to let out another stream of swear words, but instead you kept your cool, biting the inside of your cheek and keeping your face neutral. The only telltale sign that you were in pain would be the clenched fists and the twitching of your eyebrows. If Chrollo noticed (and you're certain he did), he didn't say anything about it.

Without any other words exchanged, the two of you had entered the hide out. Each step was excruciating, but you did well in hiding the pain.

The room entered in was wide. You were sure it had probably been multiple rooms at some point, but the walls had been torn down to make the space more open - whether it happened naturally, or a Troupe member did it, you weren't sure. The ceiling was a lot higher than you expected, and near the opposite end of the room was a large pile of rubble, where a few of the Troupe members sat. The rest were scattered throughout the room, each engrossed in their own activities, be it thinking or reading or messing around on their phones.

The moment the two of you walked in, the atmosphere changed. You were well aware that all eyes were on you, and scanning the room, you had to keep your face completely neutral as you locked eyes with an unexpected face. Hisoka. Of course _he_ would be here. Did this have to do with that _nen_ exorcist he asked you about? Or were the two unrelated?

Hisoka was probably equally as surprised to see you of all people here, but the both of you were great actors. He glanced away in feigned disinterest, and your eyes slid over him without a second thought. Finally, you found the person you had been looking for, although it wouldn't have been hard with that kind of malicious aura directed right at you.

It happened in a flash.

He had leapt forward, drawing his hidden blade out as he appeared in front of you, the tip of the blade mere centimetres from your throat. You didn't flinch, knowing he wouldn't kill you as your smile turned wry, looking down at your friend.

"Feitan," you greeted, switching to your guys' native language. " _It's nice to see you again._ "

You doubted anybody else knew your guys' native language, as everybody seemed confused save for Chrollo, and Feitan responded in kind, his words venomous. " _What are_ you _doing here? You're supposed to be lying low, you fucking idiot._ "

" _Like you?_ "

After a moment, Feitan withdrew the sword and placed it back into the parasol that was on his back. Finally, you allowed a genuine smile to light up your face, and without a moment of hesitation you drew the shorter man in for a hug. He didn't hug back, but he didn't resist either, grumbling all the while and looking done with everything.

"It's good to see you again, cousin."

 _This_ garnered a reaction as a man in a traditional samurai garb stepped forward, clearly annoyed. "What the hell is going on? _Cousin_?!"

"Too noisy. Shut up."

You snorted at Feitan's words, smile dying back down into your usual neutral expression. "We're not actually related," you explained. "But where we come from, it's just a common term to call a close friend."

"Not friends."

You ignored Feitan's jab as the samurai guy turned to Chrollo next to you. "Danchou, what is the meaning of this?!"

You eyed samurai-guy warily, taking note of the long sword. With his easy anger, you'd guess his _nen_ type is an emitter. _Possibly_ an enhancer, but you were banking on the former.

Chrollo wasn't surprised at the information that had just been presented to him as he acknowledged the member. "Nobunaga," he stated calmly, "This is [Y/n]. She may have information on the Chain User we need and has agreed to help."

Chain User? That was new, and didn't strike a bell at all. Would they kill you if you didn't have the information? You and Feitan were close, but you knew full well he would put the Spider before you, and would probably request to be the one to kill you himself if you were going to die. It's just how the two of you were - you wouldn't hold a grudge if it came to that, but that didn't mean you really wanted to die, either.

Nobunaga, the samurai, visibly tensed, eyeing you suspiciously. This guy clearly didn't like you. The feeling was mutual, and you knew you were going to have to be on guard around him.

"She knows the Chain User?!"

A different voice cut in as a guy with short blond hair stepped forward, an unnerving smile on his face. "No," he said, his voice certain. "She's the the best information broker in York New City. She knows everyone and everything."

Clearly not, although you opted to not say anything, feeling anxiety grow within your chest. This situation was not looking too well.

Shifting onto your non-injured leg, you pointedly glanced down at your foot. "Is it possibly I could patch this up first?"

Chrollo hummed, his eyes sliding over to your old friend. "Feitan."

He didn't need to say anything as Feitan nodded sharply once before turning around and starting to walk. You were confused as of what to do, looking back and forth between Chrollo and Feitan before the latter turned around, back to his native language. " _Well? Are you going to stand around all day?_ "

Taking that as your cue, you followed him to a room off to the side, equally as run-down as the rest of the building. There was a single chair and various bloodstains on the floor - you assumed Feitan used this as a torture room, knowing how sadistic your friend tended to be. Sitting on the chair, you rested your calf on your thigh to take a better look at your heel. It was already red and irritated, covered in blood and dirt. It didn't help you had no footwear.

Rustling with something in the corner, Feitan had come back with a sad-looking first-aid kit. You raised an eyebrow in amusement. " _I thought you tortured, not healed."_

" _Shut up._ "

The two of you stayed quiet as he took out peroxide, not giving you warning as he poured what felt like way too much on the wound. You hissed in pain, shooting him a sharp glare. He didn't look up, and the bandanna covered most of his face, but judging by way his eyes crinkled slightly you could tell he was at least smirking.

"Fucking sadist."

He didn't dignify that with a response, pulling out gauze and ointment and handing it to you. "Do it on own."

You gave him an unimpressed look but put the ointment on and wrapped your foot up neatly. With your natural aura production, it'd be healed by tomorrow morning, but you couldn't risk an infection.

Standing up, you tried not to wince. It still hurt, but you had much worse, and weren't going to be a baby about it. Glancing over at Feitan, who was impatiently waiting, you rolled your eyes, grumbling out a sarcastic 'thanks'.

"Fuck you," was his response.

With your foot wrapped and taken care of, you were led back to the party, where Chrollo was currently handing out fortunes with an ability he supposedly stole from Neon Nostrade. There seemed to be a few peculiar requirements, and you were curious and tempted to ask for your own fortune. You weren't given the chance as Feitan yanked your arms around your back, tying your wrists together.

" _Seriously? After all we've been together?_ "

Feitan snorted, and pulled your arms tighter in response. " _Exactly. I know how you are, you'll try to escape first chance. We may know each other, but I won't hesitate to kill you_."

He wasn't wrong, and you hated it, but you had also given your word. Chrollo knew where you worked and lived, so clearly running away wouldn't do you the best, but you opted to not argue anymore. You had learned long ago that arguing with Feitan just made him angrier and more antagonistic, and that was exactly what you what you wanted to avoid.

Being force to sit down, you could do nothing but watch as Chrollo continued to give out fortunes. He had looked over briefly, nodding at Feitan once as the shorter male came over to see what was going on since he couldn't get his fortune read. He didn't protest at all to you being tied up. Great, nobody trusted you, although you couldn't blame them.

With fortunes done - not everybody could get a fortune read due to now knowing the questions themselves - you listened in boredom as they flung out accusations at each other, before Hisoka handed over his own fortune. You could feel yourself start to grow a bit antsy. Hisoka wasn't dumb, and you knew about Texture Surprise. Most likely, he had altered the fortune a bit - but then, what game was he playing at, here? You refused to look at him, mulling it over in your head. Everybody's fortunes were basically telling them to get the hell out of dodge, and yet Hisoka's was advising for the Troupe to stay...

For some reason, your mind went back to the mysterious blond customer once again. Realization started to dawn slowly on you. Clearly, somebody was after the Phantom Troupe, and had the blond himself not said that he would dispose of them? Was he working in tandem with Hisoka? Or were they two separate cases?

Keeping your face still so nobody could figure out your inner turmoil, you let out a small sigh as Chrollo started to question Hisoka. _Great_. Why did you have to be stuck in the middle of this mess?

"[Y/n]."

Hearing your name get called out, you looked up, raising an eyebrow at Chrollo and waiting for him to continue. "Your _nen_ ability allows you to gather somebody's information. Can you use it on Hisoka?" Despite the polite tone, you knew he wasn't actually asking, and you flexed your wrists from behind your back, thinking carefully.

Really, it would be a fruitless endeavor. You already had Hisoka's information, and while an update never hurt, it wouldn't change much. Not that you could let the Troupe know you and Hisoka had already met. Furthermore, you were going to have to think up a lie to cover Hisoka, and fast. You had a feeling that Hisoka would murder you if you gave away his ruse, especially since the smile on his face was now gone as his golden eyes stared into you intently.

You were backed into a corner.

". . . Can I request something in return?"

"You insolent--!"

Chrollo cut off Nobunaga, seeming amused. "Do you forget that you're our hostage here?"

You snorted. "Oh, yes, I definitely forgot with my hands tied behind my back and all," you said sarcastically, before your face grew serious. "I want my fortune told."

Chrollo raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that. "Oh?"

"It would benefit you, too," you quickly explained. "Seeing as how our futures are intertwined for the time being, it'd be smart to know how it pans out on my end, especially if you want information on the Chain User." It was a risky game you were playing, you knew that any of them could kill you in an instant, but you weren't raised to cower in fear. You'd be damned if you backed down.

After a moment, Chrollo nodded, approaching you and squatting down. You repeated the requested information before he started to write, and you could only watch, intrigued, as he wrote down your fortune. After a few moments, he handed the paper to you, and you glanced over it, lips thinning into a small line.

Well, shit. This did _not_ work out in your favor.


	7. interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your fortune does not bode well, but there's no time to dwell on it now - things are constantly on the move, and if you pause for even a moment, you'll be left behind.

" _On the first rain of the ninth month,_  
 _A red-eyed customer will appear in your shop, harbinger of death,_  
 _Do well to not help_  
 _For if you do, your past will chain you down._

_The book's secrets you must keep,_   
_For the calendar to keep its second page._   
_Unite with the spider, and seek out the harbinger of death,  
Stay in the shadows. Those you like will turn against you._

_On a hot day head east, sticking with the head.  
Those whose secrets you once kept will cause you to wither._  
 _Eventually the black ship will approach,_  
 _Where the sea will take you to an eternal slumber._ "

* * *

You were going to die, sometime in the future. Great. _Great_. There was nothing else 'eternal slumber' could mean, and you tried to decipher the rest of the poem. The first stanza already happened - the blond was the culprit after all, the "red-eyed customer". What would have happened if you had helped? Most likely, the Troupe would have killed you.

The second stanza... You'd _assume_ the "book's secrets" was a reference to your _hatsu_. Was it a warning to not give out Hisoka's secret? You hadn't planned on it anyways, but it seemed to reference the death of somebody else if you did... The calendar was deduced earlier to be the Spider, but you weren't sure who the second page would be. And according to this poem, you'd have to join the Troupe and find the Chain User while staying in the shadows... Behind the scenes? And you weren't even sure there was anybody you actually liked - that last line made no sense.

And the last stanza... The person whose secrets you once kept... Was Hisoka going to _kill_ you? Was this a warning to not get on any ships or go across the ocean? You didn't like that at _all_. 

The fortune was gently taken from your hands by Chrollo, and you watched stone-faced as he read the fortune out loud in an even tone.

"You worked with the Chain User?!"

This was from Nobunaga, and you pursed your lips in thought. "No," you said sharply. "I was approached by him, but didn't realize it was him until just now. I refused to help him." Chrollo nodded, ruminating over the rest of the fortune before turning to you, his expression unreadable.

"The book's secrets must be your information. If you give us Hisoka's information," Chrollo tapped the paper for emphasis, "Feitan will most likely die."

Feitan was the second page? Considering he had mostly grown up in Meteor City, you figured it made sense.

Chrollo continued on, deducing your fortune and narrowing it down much better than you had. "You're supposed to join us and draw out the chain user to keep Feitan alive," he pointed out. "And head east..."

"Danchou is also supposed to head east, right?"

A girl with glasses spoke up absentmindedly - Shizuku, you think you heard somebody call her earlier. Chrollo's lips twitched upwards for a moment before slipping back into his stoic mask.

"You'd be joining me in east," he confirmed. "'Sticking with the head'." You didn't like the sound of that at all as he tapped the page once more. "And then you'll most likely board a ship and die."

"Thanks for talking about my death so casually." Your tone was sardonic, but your gaze was thoughtful and turned upwards. "I'm not going to be able to read Hisoka's information, it seems."

You didn't need to look to be able to tell that the cry of outrage had come from Nobunaga, but Chrollo's mind was clearly set as he nodded. "Very well. But you _will_ be helping us."

You didn't really have a choice, and weren't too keen on seeing what would happen if you refused. Knowing there was no way out of this, you deflated and sighed. Joining up with the Phantom Troupe. This was an outcome you would have never expected, and you weren't too happy about it, but you supposed it couldn't be helped at this point. You weren't going to risk Feitan's life, even if he clearly didn't feel the same to you. 

"Can you at least untie me?"

Chrollo came around to untie you just as you asked, and when your wrists were free you rubbed them. Already had they started to bruise, and you shot a nasty glare towards your childhood friend.

"What now, Danchou?" This was Shalnark.

Chrollo stood back up, helping you to your feet carefully as his gaze turned inwards.

". . . We stay," he decided. "It seems to be in the Troupe's best interest." Finally, Chrollo's expression changed as his lips tilted upwards, gray eyes regarding you and twinkling with an undecipherable emotion. "And you will be helping us."

Well, there was that.

Displeased but not bothering to protest, you crossed your arms. "Fine. Whatever," you relented. "Can I at least head back to my house so I can change into some non-blood soaked clothing?"

At your words, Feitan squinted at your outfit before recognition flashed over his features. "I gave you that." You looked down at the dress you were wearing, immediately grimacing. It was covered in blood - thankfully not torn, but you weren't positive the blood was going to wash out of the silk.

"Sure did."

The man just grunted and skulked away, and you fixed an expecting look onto Chrollo. "So? Can I?"

Something flashed in his eyes; what it was, you couldn't tell. "Yes, but you're not going to go alone." As if the universe just wanted to pile everything onto you, he tilted his neck towards the door. "We better get going, then. And make sure to stick in pairs if any of you go out."

"Do you want me to come with?" Shalnark, despite the death flag he had gotten on his fortune, seemed unconcerned for the most part. Chrollo shook his head, a barely noticeable smile on his face, and with that done the two of you left the base to go over to your apartment.

The walk back was awkward and silent. Sirens still blared in the distance, but around you the night was still and quiet. Instead of taking the main streets back, the two of you went through the complex alley way system of York New City, trying to stay incognito. One of the Troupe members was in the process of making fake bodies, and Chrollo would be one of them, so they could not risk him getting spotted. Thankfully, you knew these alleys like the back of your hand.

Making a turn down another narrow alley, you were grateful for the silence, using this time to think back over your fortune.

 _I'll head east with the spider's head...._ Why?

"Chrollo, what did you make of my fortune?"

You couldn't not speak up about it. Your fortune insinuated you would be sticking by Chrollo once this was all past, but why?

Chrollo hummed as the two of you continued forward through the alleys. "Once the heist is done, you'll be joining the Troupe."

You came to a shuttering stop, grimacing as your injured heel dug into the ground. "Excuse me, I'll be _what_ now?" You had heard him perfectly clear, but could not even comprehend the audacity of the man before you. After all of this, he actually expected you to _join_ the very group that was currently causing you trouble?!

The taller male also came to a stop, turning around and taking in your defiant expression. "Your fortune says you'll be heading east," he said coolly, in contrast to your heated voice. "Sticking with me, and uniting with the spider. I want you to join permanently."

His words were sincere, and that's what made it harder to decline as your heart skipped for a beat. He took a step forward, and you mirrored him by taking a step backwards. Or at least, you tried to. Stepping on a rock - thankfully with your non-injured heel - you started to fall backwards. In a flash, Chrollo was right in front of you, gripping your arm firmly and dipping you backwards, his other hand sliding behind you and resting on your lower back. It would have almost been cinematic if you weren't barefoot, covered in blood, and in a decrepit looking alleyway.

He didn't let you go right away, much to your dissatisfaction. He held you there, suspended midway with your arms gripping tightly onto his torn dress shirt in and attempt to not fall backwards. You were hyper aware of the close proximity, but couldn't find yourself to speak up right away. You hadn't ever been this close to somebody and weren't sure how to react, what to do. Your mouth opened, and then closed, not making a single noise.

As if Chrollo could tell why you were speechless, his lips tilted upwards into an amused smirk. "I won't force you, of course," he said smoothly. "But it'd be a wise choice to consider the offer."

His low words, and the warm breath that fanned across your face, brought you back to the present. You returned his smirk with a wry smile of your own. "Or else you'll kill me?"

He said nothing and gently pulled you back forward onto your feet. For a moment, his hands lingered before he let go completely, making sure your balance had been regained. Stepping away, you eyed him suspiciously for a moment.

"I wouldn't have much to offer the Phantom Troupe, honestly. I'm not suited for combat." Not that you wanted to join the Phantom Troupe in the first place, but you assumed it wasn't the worst decision as long as Feitan wasn't still mad at you for what happened back in Meteor City. You had been avoiding the Phantom Troupe solely because of him in the first place, and he didn't react too horribly to your reappearance, so you figured it was safe to say he wasn't entirely pissed anymore.

And if he wasn't... What then? Was your friendship with him salvageable? You didn't know yet. Again, joining the Troupe wasn't the worst decision, and you wouldn't be able to resume a normal life running an antique store now that you were pulled into this mess. So much for lying low.

Chrollo hummed, not sensing your inner turmoil. "Says the one who easily dispatched of a skilled assassin."

You scoffed, and the two of you started to walk again. "Skilled? Clearly not that much if I took him out with such ease."

He just hummed, not bothering to respond again as you were left mulling over the thoughts and decisions. Would Hisoka kill you because you joined the Phantom Troupe? Or something else? If he was even the person your fortune was referencing, you assumed. Either way, you would at least wind up helping the Phantom Troupe or else risking losing Feitan for good, and that was not an option. That last stanza all around had your anxiety up, although you did well to not show it.

Being in the Phantom Troupe, though... You weren't much for a busy life. It's why you had easily succumbed to being a shop owner in the rundown part of York New City, but for some reason, being in the Troupe didn't seem as displeasing as it did earlier. Already, you could see yourself easily fitting into this lifestyle once again, just as you had back in Meteor City. This wasn't to mention you didn't mind sticking around Chrollo longer. Eye candy aside, he was a particularly intriguing guy and you wanted to know everything about him.

It was just your curiosity, your inner voice insisted. He may be charismatic and handsome and intelligent but you weren't _crushing_ on him like a Japanese school girl in one of those shitty shoujo anime you watched when you were younger. You were a grown ass woman, and would not allow any thirsty feelings dictate what you did.

However...

You hadn't realized that your eyebrows had been furled in irritation, or that Chrollo was looking at you expectantly. Blinking, your face slowly relaxed.

"Hm?"

Chrollo chuckled, a low and soothing sound that sent flutters throughout your chest. "We're here. What were you thinking about?"

You looked up and saw that he was right - while lost in your thoughts, the two of you had arrived at your storefront. Embarrassed, you quickly unlocked the door, keeping your face flat. No way were you going to admit that you were interested in him in any capacity whatsoever. Instead, you locked the door behind you two and started to walk towards the back, knowing he'd follow.

"I was thinking about your offer," you instead said, knowing it was the best way to change the subject. "About joining the Phantom Troupe." It wasn't entirely a lie - you _had_ been thinking about it, you just weren't going to tell him you had also been thinking about how hot he looked, even in torn up clothes and injured. 

You weren't able to see Chrollo's face as you walked up the stairs ahead of him, but you could imagine he had his usual, characteristic smirk on his face as he asked, "You were?".

Leading him into your little flat, you huffed. "Do you always have to sound so smug?"

There was no response on his end, and after flicking on the light you turned around to see that Chrollo was looking around, taking in the room. You rolled your eyes - there really wasn't anything worth stealing, so you weren't worried about his sticky fingers. Instead, you gathered some much more casual and comfortable clothes and headed towards the bathroom.

"I'll be right back."

You wasted no time in stripping the qipao off, sliding pants on and a black turtleneck crop top. You'd have to put on your thigh holsters, gloves, and shoes out there - ideally, you'd like to take a shower, too, but you weren't sure Chrollo was going to be that patient. You'd just have to wait.

Exiting the bathroom, you pointedly avoided looking over at him as you ruffled through the pile of stuff on your coffee table, finding thigh holsters and strapping them around properly.

"How do you and Feitan know each other?"

The sudden question from Chrollo had caused you to pause momentarily before you continued again, strapping your daggers to your thighs and double-checking everything was secure. Next, you went to go put on a secure pair of black, knee high boots that laced up all the way.

"He hasn't said anything?"

You knew he hadn't - even before you two had left for Meteor City, Feitan had been a very private person. You couldn't imagine that had changed much, if at all. Chrollo hummed, confirming your thoughts, and you sighed, tying up the laces.

"We grew up outside the country in a small compound of assassins. I was adopted into the family, and from a very young age we were trained together to be the best."

You thought fondly back onto your childhood with Feitan. That family was a nightmare - and also all deceased, no thanks to you and Feitan. You continued the story. "Feitan was a few years older than me, and was a little shit even as a child. One day, when we were still kids, Feitan had overheard the family elder that they were going to dispose of me to make sure the bloodline stayed clean. So Feitan and I killed them all."

It was a dark past, but not something that bothered you anymore. The past was just that - the past. "Afterwards, we left and wound up in Meteor City, both of us vowing to lie low. You can see how well that turned out." Your voice was sardonic as you continued. "When he announced he was leaving with the newly formed Phantom Troupe, we got into a pretty bad argument, and he told me he'd kill me if I tried to follow." You muttered a couple of choice words underneath your breath in your native tongue, finishing up your shoes and pulling on fingerless gloves to complete the outfit.

Standing up straight, you gestured around the apartment. "I'll come back later for anything I need. We might as well head back."

Chrollo was thoughtful and nodded, clearly still thinking about your words and shared past. There was much more, of course, but you weren't one for oversharing and kept it straight to the point. Instead, the two of you quietly left your flat and shop, both minds preoccupied with two completely different trains of thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ya... this story is planned to go up to the dark continent arc :)


	8. small talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You seem to get along with a couple of the other Troupe members, but time is ticking, and you don't have a lot of it left if you want to successfully capture this Chain User.

" _You don't have your sword._ "

Looking up at the familiar, accented voice, you hummed, eyes crinkling up slightly. " _No_ ," you responded. " _I abandoned it after you abandoned me in Meteor City_."

You hadn't meant for your words to sound so callous, but Feitan being, well, Feitan, took offense. In an instant, your arm was twisted painfully behind your back. Even though Feitan was shorter, he was just as strong as you had remembered. " _You forget you're not a part of the Troupe yet. I could kill you_."

Just as quickly you had twisted your arm around, flinging Feitan over you. You had the satisfaction of seeing the momentary surprise in his black eyes, although his reflexes hadn't dulled since your time apart. He had separated from you and landed on his feet with ease, glowering at you.

Satisfied, you sat back down on your pile of rubble, crossing your arms in unamusement. "And you forget that we grew up and trained together, apparently."

The other nearby members were watching in curiosity, especially as you switched back to the common tongue. All of a sudden, a nearby man started to guffaw, and you looked over, raising an eyebrow. He was tall and in a terrible looking tracksuit with his dirty blond hair slicked back. Not a member you had officially met, yet, but you figured you were going to meet him in a moment as he strode over.

"Lost your touch, Feitan?" The man teased, Feitan's eyes squinting even more.

"Joke not funny. I'll kill you."

You snorted, not climbing to a stand yet as the member approached you, holding out a hand for you to shake. You eyed it suspiciously before taking it - his grip was extremely tight, and would definitely break a civilian's bone. No, scratch that - the hand would be completely crushed. You didn't wince, didn't blink at all though and returned his grip with just as much strength. His smile turned into a wide grin.

"Phinks," he said. "You've got spunk."

That was definitely not a word commonly associated with you, but you appreciated the sentiment all the same as you gave him a humored smile. "[Y/n]," you introduced yourself. "I have to have something going for me since I grew up with that stick in the mud."

Phinks laughed again - while not many of the Troupe members seemed to have warmed up to you, Phinks was earnest and open. Most definitely an enhancer, you figured.

Finally letting go of your hand, you resisted the urge to massage it as Phinks turned to Feitan. "So what gives? You two really grew up together?"

Feitan grunted, walking away. "Go die."

Clever response. Rolling your eyes, you answered for Feitan. "Known him since I was born," you explained. "And yes - he's always been like that."

Coming up to the two of you was Shalnark, who also seemed curious. "No wonder he seems to tolerate you more."

It was true - Feitan had the strangest of ways to show his tolerance for people. It was the closest he'd ever get to 'love', and while he would attack you and threaten to kill you, you knew he tolerated you much more. Outside of Troupe members, he wouldn't hesitate to murder. It was just his way of showing friendship - no, not friendship. Camaraderie? You really had no clue how to describe your relationship with Feitan. He was the closest to family you had ever kept.

"It's just how we are."

The three of you continued to talk for a bit. After Chrollo had confirmed to everybody that you would be joining the Phantom Troupe, some of the hostility had died down. It wasn't completely gone, though - despite Chrollo's word being law around here, some people were adverse to you joining. Nobunaga, in particular, didn't trust him. You had learned he was closest to Uvogin besides Shalnark, but had taken Uvogin's death the hardest.

Hisoka was the other one. You had felt his eyes on you constantly, but when you'd look up he'd just be shuffling cards. You had never trusted him before, but after your fortune, you trusted him even less. There was no proof that he'd be the one to kill you, but the probability seemed high. Why, though? And _how_? Sure, you weren't officially in the Troupe yet, but after this heist you'd be getting the spider tattoo. Spiders couldn't kill each other, so if it _was_ Hisoka, he was either going to betray the Troupe or defect before then.

It was too confusing to dwell on right now. You had enough to handle as it was.

The great thing about conversing with Shalnark and Phinks was that they couldn't give two shits about the past. They weren't nosy - you assumed it was just a habit picked up by all residents of Meteor City. In a city forgotten and abandoned by society, survival was the only thing on anybody's mind. Getting to know others wasn't a priority, and everybody had killed or stole to survive. Lofty ideals and morals would just get you killed.

Instead, you all mostly talked about 'adventures'. You tried to share childhood stories of Feitan, but the man of honor had swiftly come back to try and punch you to shut you up. You had deftly dodged, but after that he hung around to make sure you didn't say anything that would ruin his image. It was too bad - you had a plethora of stories.

The three of you, since Feitan was just hovering to make sure you didn't say anything stupid, had been talking about the other day when you had thrown that pitiful man out of your shop when Chrollo had come back. He had disappeared at some point to go, and you quote, "run errands". He was now in his normal attire again, and you had to avert your eyes so you weren't caught staring at his open chest. He was ripped, and the last thing you needed was to give him even more reason to be cocky.

Whatever Chrollo had gone to do, his mind was preoccupied as he spoke, half to himself, half to the rest of the Troupe. "Kortopi, your copies function as _en_ , right?"

Kortopi - a tiny person covered in blue-gray hair that obscured all other features - confirmed.

"I need you to find the scarlet eyes."

As everybody started going through the crates in the base to find them, save for you, Chrollo explained his theory. The chain user, the person who had visited you back before all of this started, was from the deceased Kurta clan. He had joined the Nostrade Family in order to find the scarlet eyes, and was definitely trying to enact revenge upon the Troupe.

After a few minutes, Shizuku had found the scarlet eyes, holding them up and passing them over to Kortopi. He must have been a type of conjurer of sorts, although his ability was certainly unique. Soon enough, they figured out where the chain user was staying, and you looked at the map Phinks had.

"That's Hotel Beitacle," you confirmed, recognizing it immediately. "The Nostrade family owns it."

"Ah, that's right. You've lived in York New for a while," Shalnark hummed, and you nodded once, tense. He turned back to the map. "That's where Uvogin had gone..."

Nobunaga immediately turned to Chrollo. "Danchou, let me go seek out the chain user, please!"

Chrollo glanced over and nodded, surprising you and Nobunaga both. "I'll go as well," he then said, turning around to look at everybody. "Machi, Shizuku, Pakunoda - no." He paused, his eyes narrowing in thought, seeming to recall something. "I'm certain if Pakunoda comes with us, she will die. [Y/n], you're not a part of the Troupe, but I want you to come and replace Pakunoda for this time."

_Replace the memory seeker, or the ninth month will fade..._

You weren't sure about Pakunoda's abilities, but would trust that Chrollo knew what he was doing - at least, for this. Nobunaga wasn't quite as happy with the decision, but didn't protest.

"So be it." Shrugging, you stood up from your place. "I know what the chain user looks like - unless he is in disguise, I should be able to point him out." Now you were _really_ cursing yourself for not grabbing his information when you had the chance. It would have made this whole process a lot easier, since you could just use your glasses to pick him out. You supposed that was on you, though. And speaking of which...

"Before we leave, though, I want to collect everybody's information."

Chrollo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I can track the location of everybody. If anything happens, I'll know where everybody is - I failed to do this with the chain user, but I already used it on you."

Chrollo wasn't surprised at your admission despite others being in shock you managed to use your _hatsu_ on Chrollo. "I noticed," he said simply, amused. "Hm... Do it on those whose fortunes said they would die."

His request made sense, and so explaining that you were just going to touch them while holding your book you had summoned it. Shalnark, Shizuku, and Pakunoda were all confirmed - however, they weren't sure if it would be Kortopi, Phinks, or Feitan next to die either, so you got all of their information as well. Feitan grumbled a bit, but otherwise didn't argue, knowing not to fight against the Danchou. Done with your information gathering, you let your book vanish. Everybody was on edge - not just by you, but on what was going on. You were a dangerous variable, and Hisoka was clearly unreliable.

Things weren't looking too good for the Phantom Troupe.

"Let's go."

Chrollo wasted no more time on small talk as he led everybody out. It was raining pretty hard, and on instinct you summoned your glasses right away so you could keep an eye on heat signatures and other familiar faces. So far, nobody except for your little posse, but it would certainly change when your group got closer to the city.

The walk was slow, everybody on guard for any suspicious movements. For a moment, you caught Killua's name through a building - without Gon, surprisingly enough. You paid no heed to the name, though, knowing that he was lucky enough to not be involved in this mess. Besides, you had bigger things to worry about.

After all, one wrong step and you all would be marching to your deaths.


	9. plan gone awry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're not trusted within the Phantom Troupe, and Kurapika makes his move.

"We're being followed."

The six of you bolting through the rain, you nodded at Chrollo's words. You didn't have time to turn around and see, but it was easy to sense.

"Nobunaga, Kortopi, and [Y/n] - you three go ahead. I want [Y/n] to grab the information."

Nobody had time to protest or say anything. The three of you heeded Chrollo's orders, bursting ahead as Machi, Shizuku, and Chrollo stopped to confront whoever was chasing them. Despite the chain user being in a car, it didn't surpass _nen_. In only about five minutes had you all caught up with the car and flanked it, you on the driver's side, Nobunaga in front, and Kortopi on the other side. Immediately, you realized what had happened.

"This isn't him," you told them, frowning in thought. "I don't have his information. May I?"

Nobunaga clearly wasn't going to be trusting of you anytime soon, but after a moment he grunted and nodded. You beckoned for the man to get out of the car, and after a moment he did, opening the door. You watched in bemusement as a line of dogs left the car and ran off as well. It certainly was not what you had expected, but you weren't one to talk, especially with your most recent companions.

Summoning your _hatsu_ , you gestured to the book. "Touch this."

With Nobunaga warning the man to not do anything stupid, he hesitantly touched the book. You took it back, opening the book up to the center as you started to read what was on the page.

"Squala?" You said out loud, the guy jolting at his name. "A manipulator, which would fit in with Shalnark's theory about the chain user... But this certainly isn't him," you said, reading the biography. Before he could move, you grabbed Squala's hand, watching as more words filled the page. The longer the contact, the more information you'd get now that he touched your book.

You scanned the page, pursing your lips as nothing too much came up. "You manipulate dogs, and really have no idea what's going on, huh?" According to this, he was just told to take the eyes and go. You also learned the chain user's name - Kurapika. With this knowledge, and your own memory of how he looked, this would be easy. Even more, though, was the fact that Squala had no other information to offer you.

He was a diversion.

Realizing this, you let your book disappear and let go of his hand, stepping back. "He knows nothing. Just let him go."

Nobunaga withdrew his sword, snorting. "Like hell! He works with the chain user--"

You stepped in front of Squala, your face passive and stoic. "We're not going to kill somebody needlessly. _He knows nothing_. We're letting him go."

Kortopi stood off to the side as you and Nobunaga faced off, nobody making a move. Realizing how long this may take, Kortopi stepped forward.

"[Y/n], you're planning on joining the Phantom Troupe, right?"

You didn't glance over, but nodded, not quite reaching for your daggers yet. Kortopi continued. "We have a tradition among members, requiring them not to fight. Instead, we flip a coin."

He tossed the coin to you, and without tearing your eyes from Nobunaga, you caught the coin. Finally, you glanced down, rolling the strange coin between your fingers. It wasn't currency - it was custom, a spider on one side, a web on the other. You'd assume the spider was heads, and the web was tails. You looked back up towards Nobunaga.

"Heads."

"Tails."

Throwing the coin up, you flipped it expertly before catching it, not hesitating to reveal the side. You relaxed. "Tails." Kortopi peered over to confirm, and Nobunaga 'tsked', putting his sword away.

"You got lucky."

Giving the coin back to Kortopi, you looked back at Squala, giving him a dry smile. "Today's your lucky day - you better get going before hothead over here changes his mind."

Ignoring Nobunaga's growl, Squala took a step back before stopping. "Why?"

You paused at the question, before shrugging. "Dogs like you apparently, and I find it hard to hate people trusted by animals. Figured it'd be a shame."

With that, you, Kortopi, and Nobunaga started to head off as Kortopi's phone rang. He picked it up, talking a bit before hanging up and turning to you and Nobunaga. "Danchou wants us to meet in the Hotel Beitacle lobby."

With that said, you all went on your way.

Just before the clock hit seven, you, Nobunaga, and Kortopi arrived at the hotel, walking in. You had removed the glasses earlier, knowing there would be people around and that they were useless without the chain user's info. If you had kept your glasses on, you could have been prepared for what happened next.

It took all you had to keep your face expressionless as your eyes swept the room, realizing who Chrollo's two captives were - Gon and Killua. Off to the side, you had recognized Leorio as well, and were inwardly cursing yourself. You tried not to get attached to anybody, the result of mostly growing up in Meteor City, but these three idiots had grown on you a bit. You could see Gon's and Killua's eyes widen by a fraction as well, and you averted your gaze, not wanting to be given away.

You wanted to make sure they got out of this somehow, but _how_? They were smart kids, but this was the Phantom Troupe. You just wish you had paid more attention to Killua's presence earlier. _Shit_.

Nobunaga's face softened into a smile, surprising you the most. "You got caught again? Oh, I get it - you two changed your minds and decided to join the Troupe after all!"

It was one surprise after another - these two idiots had gotten caught before?!

Killua was the one to speak up. "We didn't know the reward was rescinded."

"So you screwed up again while stalking us?"

This sort of jovial exchange was peculiar for you to witness in any hostage situation, let alone one where both Killua and Nobunaga were involved. Shifting slightly, you locked eyes with Leorio, who was gripping his newspaper angrily. You couldn't nod at him - even the tiniest signal would alert the Troupe, you weren't an idiot. Instead, you hummed, tapping your nose once in his direction while you turned to others, making it appear as if you were just thinking.

"Well? Let's be friends!"

You couldn't help it as you started choking on your spit at Nobunaga's blatant words towards the two 13-year-olds. Killua's answer was immediate. "No way. We were only following you for the reward. I wouldn't want to even look at your faces."

Gon looked away, both teens closing their eyes. "I agree!"

These kids had some balls - thankfully, Nobunaga started to laugh, but they were certainly ballsy to be able to say that to a Troupe member's face. Tapping your forehead, your glasses appeared on your face again as you scanned the room once more. Besides Leorio, nobody else seemed suspicious, and you certainly weren't going to out the 20-year-old. Instead, you tried to formulate a plan to both capture the chain user and get your friends ( _were they your friends? the thought was weird_ ) out of this alive, all while not pissing off the Phantom Troupe.

You were certain there was a very, very fine line.

Glancing over, you could see Chrollo staring at the two teens intently as Nobunaga continued to chatter cheerfully. After a moment, he glanced up at you. "[Y/n], check these kids' information."

You started to feel nervous, but masked it well, nodding. "Mhm. On it."

Bringing out your book, you told Machi that you needed Gon's hand, deciding to get his information first. The only good thing about this all was that only you could ever see the book's contents - if somebody were to look over your shoulder, they would see nothing. A skilled liar, you could easily use this to your advantage, giving little half truths.

Opening the book, you pretended to read the information for the first time. "Gon," you hummed out loud as new information started to sprawl out across the book, furrowing your eyebrows.

" _It is now 7:00pm, we will see you next week_!"

Hearing the radio behind you, your eyes widened behind your glasses, looking down at the kid whose eyes were still closed.

"Chrollo, they--!"

Before you could say anything else, you all were plunged into darkness, taking away your vision. Thank god you had your glasses on, able to see everybody's heat signatures - and realizing quickly something was wrong as Chrollo's name, hovering in the air, was quickly yanked away by some force. The chain user.

Leaving the two kids for the other member's to handle, you dove after Chrollo, only to hear a whistling. You ducked, just for a knife to whiz past your head and lunge into the wall behind you. It was only a momentary pause, but the chain user was good, and Chrollo and him had already disappeared.

" _Shit_!"

Cursing in your native tongue, you turned back to the others. "He's gone," you said, voice thick with irritation. "Chrollo was captured."

The lights came back on, and you saw in amusement that Shizuku was holding Gon upside-down by his feet, but both kids were still safe and alive. Good. Kortopi untied a piece of paper from the knife that was thrown earlier, unwrapping it before handing it off to you. You read it out loud.

"Give away any information, and I'll kill him."

You grimaced. Not that you needed to be told, you wouldn't give away anything that could put the two kids in danger, but this did mean Chrollo was in danger, too. For the one hundredth time, you cursed under your breath.

Machi looked over, her expression serious. "Don't say a word, [Y/n]."

You nodded, expression grim. What choice did you have? None - as somebody who wasn't officially a Troupe member, yet, you couldn't really do anything, not to mention you weren't about to let Chrollo get killed.

Why were you even so concerned? You had just met him - you shouldn't be worried on what happens to _anybody_ here. 

And yet, you were.

Damn it all. You were growing soft, it seemed.

"I'll take the kid," Nobunaga offered to Machi, and Machi handed him over with a terse nod. "These kids are valuable hostages - since he left a note, he'll probably try contacting us again."

With that said, he pulled out his phone, one arm around Killua's neck as he started to call somebody, presumably one of the other spiders. Meanwhile, you kept your mouth shut, mulling over your options.

You were the only one here who had a solid out. Allied to nobody, neither the spider or the chain user, you could escape now - move to a different city, start all over again. It wasn't that easy, though, neither mentally or physically. The Phantom Troupe hunting you down aside, you weren't sure you could handle the thought of these two kids getting hurt because you abandoned them. The Troupe was merciless, and wouldn't hesitate to kill those two.

Even with all that you've done, it seemed you still had some semblance of morals. Or a soft spot for those two gremlins. Probably a bit of both.

This meant you only had one option you were comfortable with, though: Stay quiet, and follow the chain user's demands. It was the best option, and it seemed to be on everybody else's minds, especially since Machi had already told you to stay quiet. Scanning the room casually, you realized Leorio was gone - most likely with the chain user. Why would those two leave those kids behind? Were they that confident in the kids' abilities? If that was why, they were terrible judges. Sure, Gon and Killua had a mass of potential, but against an S-rank group of criminals?

It was laughable.

"[Y/n]."

You blinked once, coming back to reality before letting your gaze slide to Machi, the one who spoke up. Her eyes were icy in both color and feeling, seeming to pierce right through you. You didn't say anything, silently urging her to continue. She seemed to regard you for a moment, as if she was trying to decipher you - before she could speak, Nobunaga spoke first, eyes boring into you.

"How do we know _she_ isn't with the chain bastard?"

Machi beat you to your protesting, coming to your defense. "She isn't," Machi said resolutely, still staring at you. You kept her gaze, not breaking eye contact. "She had a chance to leave us and is staying because she wants to. That's proof enough."

Out of all of the people who could have come to your defense, you hadn't expected Machi to be the one to do so. The pink-haired woman seemed like a very much no-nonsense person, distrusting of everybody. So why did she trust _you_? Whatever the reason, the other Troupe members seemed to trust her opinion, and nobody else tried to contest her as you all waited around.

"Explain."

Coming into the hotel lobby were Phinks, Shalnark, and Feitan, and immediately you were bending backwards to avoid Feitan's attack, a smaller dagger just barely grazing your chest. Doing a backbend, your hands were planted firmly on the ground as you kicked your feet upward to retaliate. You managed to kick the dagger out of his hand, but his other hand immediately grabbed your ankle, yanking you forward.

Your head collided harshly with the ground as your arms gave away, but you had no time to feel pain - your fight or flight response was screaming at you. A millisecond of hesitation was all it would take.

It was hard to kick your other leg out without anything to ground you, but you managed to get just enough force in your free leg to kick Feitan in the stomach, using _ko_ in an attempt to drop your leg. It worked, but not in the way you expected - the moment he let go, he had shoved you back onto the ground, the back of your head once again hitting the ceramic floor of the hotel lobby. You reached to grab your own dagger, but instantly Feitan was twisting your arm up, holding the dagger to your throat.

This had all taken place in under a minute, and nobody made a move to help you - after all, you weren't an actual Troupe member, yet.

"Snake," Feitan hissed in common tongue, black eyes squinting dangerously at you. You didn't struggle, hyperaware of the cold metal pressed against your throat.

" _I wasn't involved in this. Have some faith in me, asshole."_

You met Feitan's glare unflinchingly and challengingly, and after a moment, you spoke up in common. "Get off of me. I'm not your enemy."

The next few seconds passed excruciatingly slow, but finally Feitan let up before pocketing your dagger. Great. You probably weren't going to get that back.

He didn't offer you a hand as he stood up, and you were okay with that as you picked yourself up, feeling the back of your head only to pull your fingers away and see blood on them. It throbbed, but more like an intense headache instead of something unbearable. For the time being, you could deal with it.

"You're not with the Troupe?"

This curious question came from Gon, and for once, you found yourself unable to read the usually open boy. It was hard to tell what he was looking at you with. Contempt? Restrained curiosity? Killua's gaze was more contemplative, narrowed at you.

What information was too much to give? If you slipped up and said one wrong thing, Chrollo could die. Glancing wearily at your childhood friend, you then looked back at Gon.

". . . No."

That was all you were going to say right now. That was all you _could_ say right now. Sensing you weren't going to be saying anything else, Gon didn't push the issue, instead glancing over at Killua quizzically. 

Nobunaga began to explain the situation from the start to the trio, explaining the note and Chrollo's kidnapping. The entire time, you stayed silent, knowing better than to speak up.

With everything you've had to deal with tonight, if you wind up not being able to join the Phantom Troupe you were going to have an aneurysm.

_Brrr brrr. Brrr brrr._

Hearing a phone vibrate, all eyes swiveled to Phinks as he withdrew his phone, staring at the screen in confusion.

". . . It's the boss."

You all tensed, and he picked up the phone. "Hello?"

You couldn't hear the voice on the other side, nobody could, so everybody waited in a terse silence, serious looks on everybody's faces. After a moment, Phinks spoke up, meeting your guys' gaze. "The chain user?"

Shit - Chrollo really was captured. No surprise considering what you saw, but still not a good development. The chain user on the other line seemed to talk for a moment.

"Can I ask something first?" You all waited for Phinks to continue, wondering what he was going to ask the chain user. "It's about the second demand. The two hostages put up a bit of a struggle, and we had to break a few bones."

 _What_?

Immediately, the phone had hung up, and Phinks' smile dropped as he quickly dialed back the chain user's number. "Sorry, I was lying. Both of them are unharmed."

If the situation wasn't so intense, you might have snorted and rolled your eyes. As it was, now was not the time, amusement having no place in your anxiety-ridden mind. After a moment, Phinks looked up.

"He wants to speak to the informant." He handed the phone to you, and you furrowed your eyebrows in confusion. Nonetheless, you took it as Nobunaga and Machi punched Phinks.

". . . Hello?"

Why did he want to talk to _you_? You weren't sure - you weren't even a Troupe member. Did he know that?

"You're the only one allowed to hear what I say," the voice on the other line said. You recognized it as the blond on that rainy night that felt so long ago, and your lips thinned. "Move away from the others."

Feitan, who had been nearby and trying to eavsedrop, 'tsked' underneath his breath, looking irritated. Huffing in exasperation, you moved the phone a bit from your face. "He said this is for my ears only." With that said, Machi gave you a small nod and you walked further away from them going up onto a balcony that overlooked the lobby. Finally, you brought the phone back up to your ear.

"I'm alone."

"Did you make contact with a man named Squala?"

Ah, the dog guy. "Yes," you responded. "He's your ally, right? He's still alive - don't worry."

"Are you aware of a woman named Melody?"

"No."

The line was silent for a moment, as if the chain user was deliberating something. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke again. "Melody's _nen_ allows her hearing sharp enough to hear the heart rate of others'. First, you are forbidden from communicating with your comrades."

Comrades? That was a treat, considering half of them wanted you dead. Also, you had a feeling where he was going with this if he was bringing up this Melody.

"No talking, gesturing, writing, signaling, or making eye contact." You knew he couldn't see - you _thought_ he couldn't see - but you turned your back on the group below anyways. With you staying silent, he continued. "You must come alone to the place I designate. If your heart rate changes in the slightest, I will kill the hostage. Understood?"

". . . Yes."

"Now, give the phone to somebody other than the man from before."

After a moment, you signaled for Machi to come up and take the phone from you before turning away. After a moment, Machi tapped on your shoulder, passing the phone back to you quietly.

"You're to come to Lingon Airport. You have until 8:00. Come alone."

The instructions were simple - so why, then, did you have such a bad feeling about this all?

There was only one way to find out, and without any further ado, you began to walk out, not sparing anybody else a single glance, your mind only on one thing: getting this all done and over with.


	10. the chain user

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, you come face to face with the chain user in what will hopefully be the end of your little adventure. Unknowing to you, you have caused an unforeseen chain reaction that is sure to affect the Phantom Troupe in the future.

The rain was coming down hard, and yet you couldn't hail a taxi for the life of you. As if the cab drivers could tell that you were on a march of impending doom, they all passed you by, leaving you to walk to Lingon Airport in the freezing September rain.

Despite the cold bite of water seeping in through your clothes, your mind was turned inward, ignoring your current discomfort. This was the final phase, you presumed, of the chain user's plan. Was this where you died? According to your fortune, no. The same was with Chrollo's fortune - his made no mention of death at all, meaning you both would come out of this alive. Possibly injured, but clearly not fatally. This fact was enough to put your mind a bit at ease, and you could only hope nobody followed you to mess that up.

Thankfully, they didn't. Going to the airport, you noticed how one blimp had a boarding ramp onto it. Using your _nen_ glasses, you saw this was the one - Chrollo, as well as two others, were on there. No, there was one more, hiding nearby - Leorio. The two others had to be the chain user and that Melody he had mentioned.

_Here goes nothing..._

With a steely resolve, you boarded the blimp with a confidence you weren't sure was real or faked. Your nerves were too on edge to tell.

"You're that informant. [Y/n] [L/n]."

Standing face to face with you was a blond - to his left was a stoutly person. To his right...

Was a chained up Chrollo, staring at you inscrutably. Chains covered his mouth, preventing him from speaking, but apparently hadn't always been there. Seeing how stiff the blond was, you could hazard a guess that Chrollo said something to trigger him and cause him to get punched, his left cheekbone already swelling and red. You met the blond's eyes, a plain brown that didn't seem to match his demeanor.

"You're Kurapika," you hummed after a nod of confirmation. "The chain user."

The stoutly person, Melody you assumed, looked up at Kurapika. "She's telling the truth."

Ah, so that was a woman - her voice was soft. Soothing, almost, if it weren't for the situation at hand.

"I'll give you two conditions. If you abide by them, I'll let you both go."

Opting to not say anything, you gave Kurapika a sharp nod. "I'll start with the leader. First, you are forbidden from using _nen_. Second..." From here, you could see Kurapika's eyes begin to glow a hostile scarlet, and you finally lost your stoic composure, eyes widening.

_A Kurta -- no wonder why he's doing this. His brethren..._

You knew full well what the Troupe had done. Was it bad your first thought was that they should have made sure there were no survivors? You never claimed to be a saint, but damn, that was messed up even for you.

He seemed like he was hesitating, deliberating on something you could not fathom before he made up his mind. "Second, you may not contact any member of the Troupe. Those are the two conditions, and to ensure you follow them, I will use my Judgement Chain, the Arbiter Little Finger, on your leader."

 _My leader?_ You kept your face neutral. _Nobody_ was your leader. Did he think you were a part of the Phantom Troupe, and that's why that stipulation was made?

"You can decide if this is acceptable, [Y/n]."

Well, shit. You didn't like being in this position - Chrollo's gray eyes were boring into you. Most likely, he wanted you to disagree and put the Phantom Troupe first; if you were a part of the Troupe, you may have considered it for even a moment. However, you were _not_. Even better was that neither Melody nor Kurapika were aware that you weren't a part of the Troupe. Banking on the thought that the conditions couldn't be changed once they were set, and leaving you safe to still be around Chrollo, you nodded.

"Okay."

The look Chrollo gave you made you feel as if you chose the wrong option, but it was too late. The chain had shot through Chrollo's chest in a heartbeat - no pun intended - and it took everything for you to not grimace in empathy. 

"You're next, [Y/n]."

Oh _hell_ no.

"First, release Gon and Killua after midnight, unharmed. No tricks. Second, you will not speak a single word about me to any other Troupe members about me. If you have no objections, I will use my chain on you."

Your lips pursed. "No," you said, your gaze not wavering, even as Kurapika's eyes widened in shock and outrage. Chrollo's eyebrows also raised - was that _amusement_? Did he find this _funny_ when both of your lives were on the line?

Kurapika looked ready to speak, and you beat him to the punch. "First, I believe you have the false assumption that I am a part of the Phantom Troupe. I am _not_." You gauged both of their reactions: specifically, Kurapika's surprise. "I am not affiliated with either side, but was forced to help due to an unpleasant hostage situation and my even more unpleasant fortune that detailed both me and my only family's death."

You had to be careful, and tell the truth. One small lie, and Melody would be able to detect it. However, your words _were_ true, and after a moment, Melody's face dropped.

"She's telling the truth," she whispered. "She must have been pulled into this situation."

Well, not entirely, but you'd let them think that. 

"Secondly," you hastily cut in before they could continue, "I will abide by that first condition. I don't want those kids to die - and after that, I will be on my way."

Kurapika clearly didn't buy it all yet. "So you are not allied to the Phantom Troupe?"

"I am allied only to myself."

It was silent, before Melody's lips turned downwards. "She's completely honest. Her heartbeat stays the same."

Obviously, this had not been in Kurapika's plans as he stared you down, trying to figure out what to do. "You can still use your Judgement Chain on me if you have reason to believe I'm lying."

". . . No. I believe you."

 _No_ , you realized. _That's not it_. _You immediately put away your chains when I mentioned I was not a part of the Troupe. That can only mean one thing..._

As much as you wanted to pursue that thought, you tabled it for now as Kurapika began to tell you the deals of your exchange. You agreed to them all with no hesitation, refusing to look over at Chrollo.

". . . Why are you here?"

You quirked an eyebrow. "Because you told me to?"

Kurapika huffed in annoyance, not amused at your snark. "You're not with the Troupe, so why did you come? You could have left everybody and ran off."

You knew that was what he had meant, but couldn't help but play dumb. After a moment of contemplation, you sighed, turning your head to look out the window of the blimp. "I only have one family member left, and while he wouldn't hesitate to kill me, it seems I can't bring myself to do the same." Turning back to Kurapika, your [e/c] gaze hardened. "If I ignored my fortune, he _would_ have died. Much like how your friends are your priority, my family is mine, no matter how fucked up it is."

Melody said nothing, and you didn't care. That _was_ the truth, and Kurapika realized this too. "Is your family a part of the Phantom Troupe?"

It was your turn to falter, but only briefly. ". . . He is."

Your words hung heavy in the air, and thankfully Kurapika didn't comment on it anymore. Instead, he had ordered for the blimp to be brought back to Lingon Airport, and you suppressed another sigh from leaving you. Soon - Soon, this would all be done with.

Going back to the hideout without Chrollo felt weird. The rain had somewhat subsided into a lighter drizzle, but made no difference to your soaked form as your boots splashed in puddles.

What was even weirder was the fact you weren't killed on sight as you explained what happened, careful with your wording as Gon and Killua were still listening. You were clear and concise in your words, and the earlier levity you had felt from some of the members had been obliterated. In its place was a chilling hostility that even you weren't unaffected by.

"We're not letting you go back with the kids. Let's just kill them and then kill the chain user!"

While you had delivered your words with a detached nonchalance, your stare immediately turned into a glower, your teeth gritted. "No." Your voice came out harsher than intended, but did its job. "You're not laying a finger on them." Off to the side, Killua and Gon, whom had broken from their chains just moments earlier, stared at you with mixed emotions.

Phinks snorted, clearly pissed off by your very existence right now. "How do we know that you're not actually with them?!"

There was no way to prove yourself - wait, no. There _was_. Looking over, you gave Pakunoda an imploring look. She had stayed behind when you took her place, and her brown eyes met yours knowingly as she realized what you were thinking. She walked over, resting a hand on your shoulder. She didn't need to speak as you brought up the memories she needed, and her eyes widened slightly in realization. Letting you go, the two of you stared at each other for a moment, and Pakunoda finally gave a slow nod, turning back to the others.

"Let her go," Pakunoda agreed wholeheartedly with you, causing Phinks to growl in frustration.

"Eh?!"

"She's being honest - the chain user will let him go if we return the kids."

 _Thank you_ , you said quietly, _for not telling them everything. Not yet_. Like you, Pakunoda, it seemed, had a strong sense of loyalty. It wasn't that you _trusted_ her, you didn't trust anybody here, but you certainly knew that she wouldn't be as hasty as Phinks or Feitan.

Machi stepped in front of you, following Pakunoda's lead. "You take the kids. We'll stop them."

" _Stop us_?" Feitan hissed, looking past them and at you.

" _Feitan, use your brain. I'm not going to let Chrollo die,_ " you responded, the two of you engaging into a fast paced argument in your native tongue.

" _You're not a part of the spider. We can't trust you."_

" _You don't have much of a choice here - the chain user inflicted a restriction onto Chrollo. If we don't follow orders, he will die automatically and there is nothing we can do to stop it. I promise I will come back and explain more."_

_Restriction?"_

_"The moment he comes into contact with another Troupe member, the chain user's_ nen _will immediately kill him. You have to trust me on this."_

_"I don't trust you on anything."_

_"And yet you still let me live."_

At this, Feitan went silent, charcoal eyes narrowed antagonistically before he huffed. Immediately, the air around him had changed and he turned away slightly, clearly unpleased. You couldn't help but relax slightly, your eyebrows unfurling at the victory.

"Let them go."

At Feitan's change of heart, Phinks and Shalnark both looked at him in dismay, and Franklin finally stood up from where he was sitting.

"I agree," he said. "Worst case scenario is that we all die and the spider becomes obsolete. If she doesn't return, we assume the boss is dead, kill anybody we think is being controlled, and rebuild the spider."

He was outnumbered, and Phinks knew this. With now even Feitan against him, Phinks had no choice but to back off, although not before he shot you a nasty glare. Before anything else could be said, a phone started to ring, and Phinks picked it up. It was red and bat shaped, surprisingly cute. You had the strangest feeling it belonged to Shalnark, and after a moment Phinks chucked the phone at Gon, who caught it in an instant.

"Hey, don't break it!"

Yeah, definitely Shalnark's phone. Two seconds later, the phone was tossed back to Phinks, followed by an indignant ' _hey!_ ' from Shalnark. Phinks paused for a moment, before finally answering.

"Yeah . . . We're following your orders."

 _That_ shocked you, and finally Phinks hung up, tossing the phone to Shalnark who gave him a glare that contrasted his usually bright features. Apparently, technology was _not_ something to mess with in Shalnark's presence.

"Take the kids. But if you betray us, _I'll_ be the one to rip your fucking head off."

You gave Phinks a wry look and opted to not respond to that threat before turning to Gon and Killua. Both seemed uneasy, Killua more so than Gon, and you jerked your head to the entrance.

"Come on, then. We have places to be."

This time, nobody tried stopping you as the three of you left, heading back to Lingon Airport in what would hopefully be the last confrontation you would have with the chain user known as Kurapika of the Kurta.


	11. antagonistic reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bringing Killua and Gon to exchange them for Chrollo, you're met with a surprising addition to the party. While he's unwelcome, at least you find some sort of amusement in this entire ordeal.

Walking back to the airport was eerily silent. Killua and Gon, while in front of you, didn't attempt to run away - something you greatly appreciated. Finally, after a moment, Gon spoke up, a hardness in his voice you hadn't anticipated.

"That man back there who spoke in a different language with you... Is he your brother?"

You nearly stopped, before continuing on. ". . . Cousin, but yes."

Finally, Gon whirled around, topaz eyes burning furiously. This time, you _did_ stop, taken aback by such an intense attitude coming from somebody who was usually so jovial.

"So the whole time... You were...!"

His fists were clenched, and you nearly drooped. Why did you feel bad for having two 13-year-olds be disappointed in you? Why did your heart drop at the change in Gon's demeanor?

Averting your eyes, you stayed quiet for a moment before deciding it best to tell them the truth, your voice barely heard above the constant patter of rain.

"I wasn't aware they were in York New City until I was held as a captive by Chrollo," you started, thinking back on that night. Was that really only last night? It felt like decades ago already. "When he brought me back to their hideout, I came face to face with Feitan. My cousin. He's the only family I have left."

Gon's eyes were narrowed, and finally he stopped glaring at you. "You don't like this."

"No."

At your answer, he relaxed before promptly turning around. "Come on, Killua." You doubted you were forgiven, and most likely Gon wouldn't ever forgive you for this, but your answer seemed to satisfy whatever Gon had been looking for. Giving you one last unreadable glance, Killua followed Gon's suit, leaving you with no choice but to walk forward.

The rest of the walk to the airport stayed free of any other conversation, and after what felt like hours the three of you were outside of the blimp. Immediately, you tensed and stepped in front of Gon and Killua, seeing somebody walk towards you three on the phone.

"Hisoka," you gritted, feeling for your daggers. Only one was there, and you cursed in your native language when you realized Feitan still had the other.

That was fine - you only needed one to deal with this clown.

Hisoka gave you an unsettling grin, still on the phone. "If you don't let me come onto the airship, I'll kill Killua and Gon. I'm after the leader."

You held the dagger in front of you. "Like _hell_ you will - I'll cut you down into ribbons, Hisoka." Your aggression had the opposite effect you had wanted as Hisoka's grin only grew. Finally, he hung up, eyeing the three of you like you all were his next meal.

"Come along, then. We don't want to keep our friends waiting."

You glanced at Gon and Killua uncertainly. "You two get out of here as soon as the exchange is done. If Hisoka attempts anything, I'll kill him myself."

With that said, the four of you boarded the blimp before it started to take off, leaving the four of you to awkwardly sit in the waiting area. As Hisoka shuffled his cards lackadaisically, you made it a point to sit as far away from him as possible, with Gon and Killua on the floor by the door. Just as you had looked at Hisoka, he had looked up at you, golden eyes tilting upwards in mirth.

"You never told me you were from Meteor City," he stated in amusement.

You scoffed. "I was under no obligation to tell you anything. If you try anything funny, especially towards those kids, I'll be gutting you like a fish - am I understood?"

To your horror and disgust, Hisoka _groaned_. "Ah.... Now that I know how capable you truly are, I just want to play with you more~."

You weren't going to dignify that with a response. Grimacing, you leaned back and forced your eyes to close, trying to get your wits about you. There was no telling what would happen next. Hisoka clearly wanted to fight Chrollo, but with Chrollo incapable of currently using _nen_ , would he still want to? Most likely not - wait.

_"I need some information."_

_You nearly dropped the pen you had been holding out of shock, a rare occurrence for you as you met his eyes. His face was serious, an expression that chilled you to the bone. It bothered you almost as much as the fact that Hisoka Morow was coming to you for information. A scenario you would have never thought possible._

_Blinking a couple times, you gazed at the man as if he had grown a second head. "You.... Need information?"_

_Hisoka huffed, striding forward. "Is that so hard to believe, little informant?" You bristled at the nickname, and his eyes twinkled in amusement at your reaction. "I'm afraid I very well may need to find a_ nen _exorcist soon, but unfortunately do not know of any."_

Your head snapped forward as you looked back at Hisoka, realization creeping up your spine. All along - did he expect this? There is absolutely no _way_ he could have planned this far ahead, to have known that this would all happen. Clearly, he had been unaware of your relation to Feitan, and had been unprepared for the fortunes or your arrival.

However, a _nen_ exorcist _could_ remove Chrollo's _nen_ , and there was no other reason for Hisoka to look for one.

As if the jester could sense your own realization, another grin stretched across his face, his eyes focused on the cards in his hands.

"So you get it now, little informant."

"There's no way - absolutely none."

There was no response to that, and you didn't need one.

"What's going on?"

Looking over at Gon, who had spoken up, your lips thinned. "Hisoka's been planning this all from the start."

All eyes were on Hisoka, but he continued to say nothing. After that, nobody else spoke for the rest of the trip, not until your blimp landed outside of the desert and you all were prompted to unboard onto what appeared to be a plateau of sorts. On the other end of the plateau was another blimp, and outside of that blimp, Kurapika, Melody, Leorio, and the still-bound Chrollo.

First, Kurapika had Melody check Killua's heart, which was a smart move. Once she had apparently confirmed he wasn't being controlled by a manipulator, Kurapika had commenced the exchange. The two kids slowly walked forward, with Chrollo matching their pace in walking towards you and Hisoka.

And speaking of Hisoka....

Your lips twitched upwards wryly. You shouldn't have found the situation amusing, but he was certainly going to get the shock of his life once he realizes that Chrollo has no _nen_. Even if he _had_ been anticipating it, you could tell by Hisoka's aura that he was excited, and you turned away from them, deciding to watch from the warmth of the blimp. After this night, you wouldn't be surprised if you caught a cold from your excessive time out in the rain.

Even if you couldn't hear them from here, you could definitely guess what was happening, especially when Hisoka froze in an almost comical way that brightened up your shitty night. You managed to keep in the laughter until moments later when Hisoka had walked back in, unamused.

"Let's leave."

At his unamused expression and the fact he was holding his shirt and walking in like a pouty toddler, you started laughing, an act so familiar to you that for a moment you weren't even sure it was _you_. Hisoka was equally as surprised, looking over at you with widened topaz eyes.

"You had that coming, you traitorous asshole," you wheezed, hand over your mouth to try and stifle the tittering. "How does it feel to finally have what you want only to get it violently ripped away? To be denied the one thing you had been working forward to since you had _joined_ the Phantom Troupe? God, this was worth it. Seeing you get played like this by your own _ally_ \- it's fucking hilarious. And a big _fuck_ you to you, Hisoka."

Standing up from your seat, you couldn't suppress the mocking grin on your face. "God. I hope you rot in hell, you bastard."

He made no move to stop you as you walked past him, his face still as he processed your words. For once, you had caught the ginger trickster off-guard, and it was an _amazing_ feeling.

"Give me one moment, and then we can leave."

With that said, you exited the ship, and while Chrollo's back was turned to you, you knew he had sensed you. "Go back to the hideout and tell them what happened," he immediately demanded calmly.

While you wanted to refuse him and tell him you still weren't a Troupe member, you instead hummed, eyes narrowing. "Will I see you?"

"Have you already forgotten your fortune?"

You bristled at the jab, all traces of laughter and amusement now gone from your body. "I'll hold you to that, then."

With nothing else to say, you went back onto the ship, and once you finally sit down, it hit you.

The exchange was over - but in the end, who won, and who lost?

Glancing over at Hisoka, you had a feeling it was, unfortunately, the latter.

" _Had you already forgotten your fortune?"_

Chrollo's words echoed in your mind again, and for a moment, you couldn't figure out why they would until you mulled over the entire fortune, recalling the last stanza. As you finally figured out why that bothered you, you almost mechanically turned to Hisoka, gaze narrowed.

"You're going to kill me, aren't you?"

"Hm?" Hisoka looked up from his cards, and you didn't bother repeating your words. It wouldn't be here. Not here, not now, but that fortune could only mean one thing.

_Those whose secrets you once kept will cause you to wither._  
 _Eventually the black ship will approach,_  
 _Where the sea will take you to an eternal slumber._

Those whose secrets you once kept will cause you to wither.

Hisoka.

Sometime in the future, you and Hisoka would be aboard a boat, and he would either kill you or inadvertently cause your demise. This understanding should have caused you an anxiety, but in its place was instead a fierce determination you would have never expected from yourself as you shifted your gaze back to the window.

 _The fortune can be changed_ , you chastised yourself.

And in that case, it seemed, you were eventually going to have to kill Hisoka before that time in your fortune came - because it was either him or you, and you'd be damned if you died to somebody who looked like _Hisoka_.

The rest of the ride back was awkwardly silent, and when the blimp landed, you got up and reached the door before Hisoka. Apparently, though, he had something else to say as he placed a hand on your shoulder. Out of instinct, you reached back and grabbed his hand, twisting around. In an instant, your free hand was holding your single dagger against his throat; an ace of spades at your own throat.

"So _hostile,"_ Hisoka teased, golden eyes glinting mischievously. "Relax - I'm not going to kill you yet."

 _Yet._ The audacity of this man--!

"Then spit it out," you hissed, eyes narrowed into a glare. "You're not even a part of the Troupe - if I kill you here, there will be no repercussions."

The man was clearly amused and not at all threatened by you as he spoke. "That would be unwise, considering I could help regain Chrollo's _nen_ back."

This was enough to cause you to pause, regarding Hisoka warily. "Oh?"

"I'll keep in contact."

You removed your dagger from his throat; likewise, the card at your own throat flickered out of existence. Hisoka's grin widened, and you finally walked past him, eyebrows drawn together.

Was it too much to hope that you wouldn't see Hisoka again? Probably.

_When he finally fights Chrollo... I hope Chrollo sends him down to hell._


	12. aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Chrollo cursed to not have any contact with the Troupe members, you are forced to go back alone. You're eager to finally be free from the Troupe, but there's something bittersweet about it all.

The walk back to the Phantom Troupe hideout was strange, almost akin to a walk of shame. It was early morning, dawn threatening to break any moment by the time you had made it back. You were worn out, and tired, and still not in peak health, but there was no time to rest.

At least this should be the last part - once you reported back to the Phantom Troupe, your job was done. You had no clue when or where you would meet Chrollo again, but you certainly weren't going to wait around. Gon, Killua, and Kurapika all knew where you worked and lived. It had been a good run, but... Perhaps it was really time to cut ties with this city and move on.

_Zaban City seems like a good place to start..._

The moment you got into the Troupe hideout, Feitan was holding _your_ dagger at your throat, realizing you were alone without Chrollo. You didn't attempt to fight back, not yet. Even he wouldn't kill you without provocation, and you knew they were all dying to know just what the hell transpired.

Shooting a withering glance towards Feitan, you spoke. "Can I explain myself? There is a _lot_ to fill you all in on. Pakunoda can even confirm my memories."

Pakunoda walked up to you, and you found yourself appreciating the woman now more than ever. Tacking on, you finally added, "Kill me if you don't believe me, but hear me out first."

Feitan finally removed your dagger from your throat as Pakunoda's hand landed on your shoulder, steering you to the center of the Phantom Troupe's deformed circle.

"Start from the beginning."

And so, you did.

You really spared no detail. You explained how you had met Kurapika, Gon, and Killua, how the two kids stuck with you even though they could have ran off and ruined the deal. Hisoka's betrayal, Chrollo's promise, and Kurapika's _nen_ ; you told them everything. You also shared your theory that Kurapika could only use his Judgement Chain - what he had used to seal Chrollo's _nen_ \- on Phantom Troupe members.

"It's possible the restriction is intense enough to grant him the ability to subdue even the strongest of members..."

Machi nodded once in agreement with you. "His resolve... I wouldn't be surprised if that restriction would kill him if he broke his vow."

From what you had seen, you could believe it.

Done with your story, with Pakunoda confirming everything as true, the Phantom Troupe was left to decide your fate. Phinks and Nobunaga, in particular, weren't too fond of letting you leave. Not that you blamed them, you could understand their paranoia, but it was all useless. You knew exactly what you had to do, Phantom Troupe be damned.

"Let her go."

This was surprisingly from Feitan, who refused to look at you. He was clearly irritated, hands in the pockets of his robe. He continued to speak. "The fortune. She goes with leader."

Nobunaga was clearly not in agreement still, but Phinks relented. "Danchou's fortune said they would both head east... So you're sticking with Danchou?"

You nodded curtly. "Yes. If it helps, we can exchange phone numbers and I'll keep in contact on Chrollo's behalf."

This was good enough for now. While some members were clearly begrudging and reluctant, after exchanging phone numbers with Feitan, Shalnark, Pakunoda, and Phinks, you were finally allowed to leave.

"[Y/n]. Wait."

As you were walking out, a familiar voice called out to you, and you turned around to see Pakunoda. Her brown eyes were thoughtful as she approached, and you stayed silent, allowing her to speak first.

"If I had gone instead of you, it's likely I would have died," she admitted, face neutral as she talked about her own demise. "I'm aware that you helping the Troupe wasn't necessarily a choice, but I thank you nonetheless. Please take care of Danchou in the meantime."

Blinking a couple of times and processing her words, you gave the blonde a slow nod. ". . . I will. Thank you for convincing the others on my behalf."

No other words were exchanged. With a curt nod from Pakunoda, she had turned around and went to regroup with the rest of the Phantom Troupe.

That wasn't all, though. Before you could even turn around to continue leaving, Feitan had approached next with an ornamental sword you had never seen before, the sheath black with gold design.

" _Take this._ "

He thrusted the sword towards you, and instinctively you caught it, confused. " _A parting gift?"_

He didn't answer, instead saying, " _Don't get yourself killed until Danchou's_ nen _is restored."_

You rolled your eyes. " _Can I have my other dagger back, too?"_

"No."

With that, Feitan, too, was gone. Nobody else came up, finally allowing you to leave for good and head back to your home.

It had been a _long_ night.

Despite the chaos that had went through York New City, you were pleased to see that your shop had remained untouched. Even with rioting and the Phantom Troupe's massacre, people had stayed away from your shop, knowing of your own reputation.

Small blessings, you supposed as you unlocked the door and stepped in.

First things first - a shower. You were soaking from the rain, and who knew when Chrollo was going to show up again. Trudging up the stairs to your small flat, you flicked on the light, eyelids somewhat heavy.

"It took you longer than I expected."

At the sudden and unexpected voice, paired with your tiredness, you had unsheathed your remaining dagger and threw it in the voice's general direction. You missed - good thing, too, as you realized standing over there was Chrollo Lucilfer. He looked amused, and you squinted at his change in attire and the fact that his hair was wet.

". . . Did you use my shower?"

He was in a suit similar to the one from the night before, his trench coat folded neatly on the back of your couch, with wet strands of black hanging from his head neatly. He just smiled.

"I was waiting for a bit. I figured I'd make myself look presentable."

_I'm going to murder him._

Instead of trying to kill him, you trudged past him, clearly not wanting to put up with anymore of his shenanigans. "Let me take a shower and change, then we can go." You didn't wait for a response as you went straight into your bathroom, wasting no time in turning on the hot water and hopping in.

Your muscles, tense and sore from the recent stress, immediately relaxed underneath the stream - meanwhile, your mind was anything _except_ for relaxed.

Pondering over your fortune, you tried to figure out where 'east' could mean. York New City was in the most western part of the Yorbian Continent - unfortunately, east could be almost _anywhere_. You tried to think. What all lied east that may be of value? The entire Azian Continent might be worth checking out - you had a couple points of contact in the Kakin Empire that might have knowledge, not to mention yours and Feitan's village lied in the Federation of Ochima. Between the two continents was Greed Island, hidden away in the sea.

There was certainly a long journey ahead of you, and you hoped Chrollo had more of an idea on where to go besides just "east".

After making sure you were clean and remembering you still had an uninvited guest in your apartment, you finally turned off the water and towel dried yourself before getting changed into more roomy clothes. Finally, you stepped out of the bathroom, only to see Chrollo patiently reading a book he must have found downstairs. He didn't look up as you reentered the room.

Realizing he wasn't going to bother with you right now, you had grabbed a small satchel, throwing what you needed in there. ID's, money, and other small, miscellaneous items went in there - it was best to travel light, and you weren't much of a material person to begin with.

"You ready to go?"

 _Nen_ or not, you hadn't sensed Chrollo behind you until he spoke and you whirled around, throwing a fist out at him. It was clumsy, and the taller male easily caught it before tugging you forwards and causing you to collide with his chest.

"You know, if we're going to be traveling together, you shouldn't be so jumpy towards me."

You shot him a glare, your heart beating rapidly. "Maybe you shouldn't sneak up on me. You _do_ know personal space still exists, right?"

Chrollo's lips quirked upwards as he looked down at you. "I don't see you pushing me away?"

Did he _want_ you to? Did _you_ want to?

When you didn't respond, Chrollo's eyebrows raised slightly before he finally let go and pulled away from you. He looked about to say something, but eventually decided not to, instead turning his back to you to head towards the door.

"Are you ready? We certainly have a long journey ahead of us."

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath to cool yourself down before picking up the katana Feitan had given you, strapping it to your back for easy access.

"Let's go, then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg york new city arc is FINALLY wrapped up! this story will be on break as I work on the next arc - thank you everybody who has left kudos and comments on this story so far! your comments really mean the world to me and always make my day <3 I hope you all have a wonderful day/night, and stay safe out there! thank you for the continued support as I continue to work on this fic <3


End file.
